Project: VOCALOID
by OktaviaMajesty
Summary: A cyborg, Rin, is created as the key to answer to a madman's wish: her father's. However, she escapes to Japan, in hindrance. Now on a mission to regain her lost past, Rin finds herself helplessly drawn to teenage life, drama, and Len Kagamine.
1. Damned Escape

Ah.. I can't get rid of it!

Here is the maddening obsession of my work… Ugh, stories… I wake up, discovering I cannot be rid of this pitiful drudgery.

I am in partnership with Bluejay92! She and I will be uploading the chapters, so stay tuned! But the idea was mine, honeycakes.

Ah, but, here is the full summary..

_Project Rin is a cyborg masterfully developed by her father, a brilliant but crazed scientist driven with an impossible goal, which his daughter happens to be the key. _

_However, Rin escapes, barely alive. At the cost of her success, her memories are damaged, and is taken in by the Kagamine family. Struggling with troubles at school and trying to adjust to the complications of her newfound emotions, she finds herself in the catastrophes of teenage life, troubles, and Len Kagamine, the boy she starts to become drawn to…_

_Little does she know, people are after her. They want to use her body for power nd military use. Daddy's angry too… he'll stop at nothing to get her back and shut down her heart for good, so she may become… VOCALOID._

Please remember;

_Italics_: The language of _German_, since the setting takes place in Berlin for this chapter.

**Bold**: Stands for the language of **Japanese**, which Leon speaks to confuse Rin, for she cannot understand it. Also, it stands for a certain name Rin is sensitive about… heh heh heh…

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_Project: __VOCALOID_

_**Chapter 1:**_

_**Damned Escape**_

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**_Berlin, Germany_**

**_02:03 A.M._**

**_Takashi HQ; Main Lab_**

_Sssh…_

In the darkness of the giant room, a single, bubbling reactor stood in the center. Inside the reactor, however, was a girl… parts of her body covered in iron armor.

_Ssshh…_

The calming hiss of her breathing would indicate others that she was still alive, only asleep.

Of course, for a long while now.

A shining, iron helmet concealed her face. Behind the cold exterior, were closed eyes.

_Sssshh…_

_Ba-bump, ba-bump.._

Her heart began to stir, creating a noise inside her head.

_Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump…!_ Her eyelids shifted uncomfortably under the accelerating rhythm.

_BA-BUMP, BA-BUMP…_

_**BA-BUMP!**_

Eyes snapped open, revealing a luminous shade of blue. Blue eyes.

The sound of heavy breathing was heard as she glanced around. Her lower abdomen was connected to a pair of silvery tubes. Grasping it with both hands, she ripped it from her metal attire. The blue-eyed girl looked past the bubbles surrounding her, past the invisible wall of the giant tube. Moving forward, she summoned an iron-covered fist. Taking a deep breath, she slammed it into the wall.

Glass shattered.

She then proceeded to break down the wall as the water poured out, enabling her comfortable movement. Leaping from the giant reactor, she landed onto the cold, marble ground. Immediately, she ran for the door. Suddenly, two silvery armed robots landed before her, from the ceiling. Not expecting the surprise, she backed off, only to have two more land from behind.

The four drew their pistols, aiming. The girl drew in breath, grabbing one robot's arm and busting it to pieces. Alarmed, the others began to fire, though she quickly swung the machine in front of her. Bullets shattered into the gray exterior, and the robot shut down. She suddenly leaped, drawing large blades from the gauntlets she wore. Spinning her body in a twisting motion, she split her target in half, bolts and screws flying.

The remaining robots fired at her torso, she quickly ducked, swinging her lower leg to their weakest point, their 'heels', which shattered. And she slew them.

Running out into the dark, barely lit hallways, she quickly turned left.

More robots sprang from behind her, forcing her to resort to ranged attacks. Charging energy into her palms, sparks of electricity began to flare. Twisting her body around, she shot out her arms. An array of shockwaves split, coming contact with the machines and instantly shutting them down.

Sprinting ahead, she ran past the sounding alarm, her speed increasing at an inhumane rate. Destroying enemies that stood in her path, she purged on until she finally stopped at a large, generating door.

Taking a quick glance at the code breaker on the side, she slammed her fist into it. The door groaned, starting to open its mighty gate. As the entrance widened, lights illuminated the darkness of the large room, allowing the girl to see.

Across the room, was a glowing platform to her escape, which only _she_ could operate. The G.P.T. She took a step forward and-

_CRASH..!_

Tremors shook the entire room, causing even the young girl to wobble back and forth from the violent motion, spinning around, her heart could've stopped.

A large, burly man with thick muscles and shaggy black hair, smirked at her. More armed, more advanced robots coming at his side. Large coals stared at her shining iron helmet, searching for her eyes. He carried a big, mean-looking gun at his side, a cigar in his other hand.

"_I see the princess has finally awoken from her slumber.." _The man started in a thick accent as he spoke the raw language of German. He was called 'Harkinian', her father's right-hand man. The girl glared at him through her helmet, getting into a fighting stance. The grin on the man's face broadened.

_"Getting bratty, are we?" _Harkinian clucked his tongue in disapproval. "_That's very naughty of you, what would your father say about this_?" The girl inwardly flinched. "_Or perhaps you are looking for_…" At this point, his eyes gleamed evilly.

".. **Miriam**?" At mention of _the_ name, the project snapped.

With a furious, inhumane cry, she charged towards him. The man kept his smirk, pointing directly at the target.

"_Fueur!" _Harkinian bellowed, the sounds of guns going off at his command. The girl leaped, the armor protecting her. Swinging her leg, concealed blades flew from the base of her boot. The blades drove _clean_ into the programmed machines, electric currents suddenly flared from the core of the blades. "..!" The machines sounded before collapsing to the ground.

An amused Harkinian let out a chuckle, tossing his cigar into the nearest corner. "_Oh ho ho, this is going to be good_." He spat, rubbing his hands together. The project defiantly raised her fists, ready to defend herself.

Before one could advance on the other, a voice cut in;

"**Stop."**

The project took a sharp intake of breath.

From the shadows of the entrance, a figure stood amidst. A tall, handsome man walked into the light. He had pale, unkempt blonde hair and sharp green eyes. A deep frown creased his mouth. The project felt a boiling feeling towards this man as she watched him approach.

Leon Takashi, her _father_.

With a sharp glare towards Harkinian, he said. **"Were you planning to hurt her?"** Fumbling for words, the burly shook his head vigorously, murmuring in embarrassment Turning to his daughter, a cold smile grew on his face.

"_My daughter…_** Angelface..**" Leon approached with a sickeningly gentle tone. Disgusted, the project took a few steps back, holding out her weapons. "_What are doing up so early, honey? You know you're not supposed to wandering and about.._" Leon drawled, removing a specially-created rifle from behind him. Then, he stopped.

Behind the screen of the helmet, he saw something.

Her eyes…

Her blue eyes… were filled with rage.

And utmost _loathing_.

'_No…'_ Leon's eyes widened in shock, staring agape at the sight before him. **"Impossible! I****t can't be..! Your heart**..!" Seeing his open display of shock, the project took this chance. She sprang for the portal like a wildcat.

"**NO!"** Leon shouted, chasing after her. Beams of nuclear blasts shot past, which she narrowly dodged. Panting, she opened the glass screen door, locking it behind her. "**NO!"** Reinforcements charged in, but it was too late now. She was getting away. "**STOP HER! WE MUST NOT LET HER ESCAPE!"** Leon roared in Japanese, frantically commanding the machines.

With one word, the G.P.T portal could easily send teleport her body to any place she wished to go. She just had to say where.

But… what other place was there for her to go?

Then, everything starting to shake. She turned, her father was pounding at the door with a crazed expression.

Gasping, she turned back to the control panel, she had to think of something quickly..!

"_My dearest, Japan is the most wonderful place in the world.."_ A soft, flowing voice suddenly spoke to her. Her eyes widened.

A picture of a woman with long beautiful yellow hair and a shadowed face came to her mind.

Japan…?

"_DESTROY THIS MACHINE!"_ Her father ordered in a furious voice, trying to hack the connections.

"Japan.." The girl whispered, and immediately the G.P.T. operated.

"_Destination accepted."_ A computerized voice stated.

"**NO!"** Unfortunately, this time, Leon managed to break the glass. In desperate attempt, he fired at the control panel, but missed and ended up shooting the back of the girl's helmet.

A sudden pain ripped through her head and into her brain. "Aaah.." She sank to the floor, clutching her head.

"_50%…"_

Leon's eyes widened, watching the girl sprawl across the floor.

Another throbbing pain ripped through her optic nerve, but this time, it was far more intense and permeated her down her spine. "AAAH..!"

"_89%.."_

What was happening? What was this weird sensation filling her head? It… she hated it..!

Electricity danced around the base of the helmet, she could feel its shocking, penetrating impulse. Beads of sweat formed her forehead, running down the side of her head. "Nnngh… Nnngh!" She tried to grasp onto something, but to no avail. Her brilliant blue eyes dulled into a dark, murky color. Her other senses began to numb, and her breathing became raspy.

"Aaah... aaaaah...!"

Another head-splitting sensation clouded her head, she let out a bloodcurdling scream that silenced her father's shouts.

_"AAAAAAHH!"_

Then, everything went white. The pulsing sensation stopped, her mind starting to go blank.

"_1__00%..!"_ A whooshing blast fired the engines below, her father's screaming protests were useless now… Wearily looking past, the last things she saw, was her father's angry, helpless face.. A flash of blue light….

Then, her head collapsed to the ground.

_Ba-bump, ba-bump… _

_Ba-.. bump…_

_Ba-..._

_bump..._

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Oh ho ho… how will things go for Rin-chan?..

*Squeals* Done with the first, YAAAY!

Does it suck? I sure hope not…! I worked really hard on the first part of it for 2 flippin' days! (sobs in corner)

But anyway, really, please review us..! Bluejay92 and I need all the reviews we can get! We're absolutely going to do our very best! So please support us through and through!

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_

(Long live the story!)


	2. Stormy Eyes

Okay, here another one! Please take care to read and review…

Bluejay92, WE'RE GETTING THERE! KEEP SUPPORTIN' ME! xD And sweet holy mother, this story has already **98 HITS!** And only for one chapter! WOW!

I know you're out there, people! I saw this story get loads of visitors WITHOUT REVIEWING! SO REVIEW PEOPLE! SERIOUSLY!

**Bold - **Stands for Japanese, which Rin cannot understand.

_Italics - _Stands for craziness, insane screaming, and German. Don't ask about that German part.

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 2**

_**Stormy Eyes**_

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**Len's POV**

My name is Len.

"Kaito, get your ass off me!"

And I was currently being raped by a blue-haired freak.

"Seriously! You're too heavy!"

Yes, that's me. The short, blonde guy being bombarded by his older brother.

Actually, I should say 'stepbrother'. My parents split up when I was five, and about seven years ago, my mom met Dell, Kaito's dad. They met, fell in love, got married… blah blah blah, need I say more?

"Good morning to you too, brother dear." Kaito said, from the way he said it he was obviously grinning. He suddenly decided it would be fun to grab my head into a headlock.

"Shoooooota." He mocked, messing up my hair.

"Don't call me that!" I yelled, my face turning a bright red. I absolutely hated it when people called me that! It was so frickin' annoying!

Lots of girls swoon over me at school, with all their 'kyaaa' and stuff. Really, it's true! I even have a fan club! I mean I'm pretty good at sports and it didn't hurt to mention I could even beat Ted at soccer sometimes!

I can tell you that my life is totally not shota. But apparently, my idiot 'brother' likes to think differently.

"Do not deny your inner girl side, little brother. We all know what you do when you're alone." Kaito said, still giving my head a good noogie.

"As if you knew." I snorted as I continued trying to get him off me.

"You sing the opening theme for Pretty Cure when you're alone."

I froze.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" I screamed, my entire face heating up. "AND GET OFF!"

Laughter escaped from the 16-year-old, "Oh god, you actually watch that show?" Tears of mirth began to form under his eyes. "BWAHAHAHAHA! OH GOD...!" He started to wheeze, while still laughing uncontrollably.

"SHUT UP!" I screamed again, finally managing to throw him off.

"AHAHAHAHAHA!" Kaito laughed, leaning against the wall for support. Dusting off my pants, I shot him another glare. That was Kaito for you, stupid, clueless, and did I mention stupid? "Sorry…" Kaito brushed away a tear, still chuckling, "it was just too funny." For a moment, we just stared at each other, then, Kaito burst into laughter again.

"Whatever." Irritated, I shoved past him on the way to the bathroom.

Ah, how rude of me, not introducing myself. As I said in the beginning, my name is Len, Kagamine Len. I'm fourteen years old, currently attending Seija Academy as a ninth-grader. My school is the place where the gifted people go.

"Fine, fine." Kaito murmured, brushing past me. "Where are my keys?"

Kaito goes to the same school as I do. He's pretty immature sometimes, despite the fact he's two years above me. He also has this weird obsession with ice cream, if he's not raiding the freezer with a spoon in hand, then he's in front of the t.v. with a gallon bucket of vanilla.

Actually, I can't remember a day he hasn't eaten ice cream.

"Yes! Found 'em!" Kaito cheered as he did his 'manly' fist pump. Flashing a grin towards me, he said, "Hurry up!" Emitting a sigh, I hopped off my comfortable bed and rushed into the shower.

I don't like to admit it, but back then, when Dell (Kaito's dad) and my mom first dated, we used to hate each other's guts.

I would call him "Bakaito" and he would sing 'Shota Shota Night Fever' whenever I walked in. We'd constantly beat each up in fights until Dell or my mom would be forced to break them up. But after when my mom and Dell finally got married, we were forced to console each other and act like 'real' brothers. Eventually, we actually managed to become good friends.

I climbed out of the shower, drying my hair. Glancing in the mirror, I examined myself. I was skinny, but lean enough to get rid of any trace of 'shouta.' Sure, it sucked I didn't have big muscles or a six-pack like Kaito, but I honestly felt pretty good about myself, and you didn't have to look twice to know I had about nineteen girls oogling at me around the halls with love-struck eyes.

Wrapping the towel around my waist, I stepped out of the door. "Hurry up, it's almost 7:00!" Kaito called from downstairs.

Only ten minutes.

I did my best to brush my teeth, tie my hair in a ponytail, and throw on the uniform all at once. Rushing down, I sprang into the kitchen.

POP!

I grabbed the pop-tarts from the toaster, sitting down and gobbled down breakfast. Across from me, Dell was reading the morning paper. "Good morning, Len." He said without even looking up.

"Mornin'." I said between bites.

"Honey, where's my greeting?" Sighing, I turned around.

"Mornin' mom." With a squeal, I found myself suffocating under a woman's embrace of death.

"Len-kuuun! Must you always be so cute in the morning?" Mom then proceeded to shower me with kisses.

"Urgh! Mom!" I protested, trying to push her away.

"Mama's boy." I heard Kaito cough.

I blushed. "_Mom_!" I protested again, louder this time. Finally, she stopped, smiling at me.

"Sweetie, you know I can't help it! You're just too cute for your own good sometimes!"

I rolled my eyes. "Right."

"Nami, Len's turning fifteen soon, you might as well stop treating him like a child." Dell said behind his newspaper. But from the way his tone sounded, he obviously didn't care. Mom gave a childish huff.

"Nonsense, he'll always be my precious baby no matter how old he gets!" With that, my mother continued to squeeze the life out of me, purring.

"Mom..." I groaned.

"DAMN!" Kaito suddenly yelled, startling us. "School's gonna start in three minutes!"

"WHAT?" I bolted from my chair, grabbing my bag. "Shit! We gotta go! Bye mom!" I rushed out of the kitchen.

"See you, Dad! Bye Nami!" Kaito's footsteps were right behind, we ran out the door and jumped onto Kaito's motorcycle.

"Just hold onto my shoulders, we'll appear less gay that way." Kaito informed me as he started up the engine.

I decided to ignore that comment. "Fine." Then, he suddenly turned around.

"… What?" I finally said after a brief stare battle.

"Nothing." He answered, suddenly patting my head. "I'm just glad to have you next to me." I crinkled my forehead in slight confusion.

"Why?"

Kaito only grinned, turning back around. "That way, I can appear more masculine."

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"… In which atoms have their oxidation number changed. This can be either a simple redox process, such as the oxidation of carbon to yield carbon dioxide or the reduction of carbon by hydrogen to yield methane, or a complex process such as the oxidation of sugar in the human body through a series of complex electron transfer processes, thus…" Professor Gakupo went on about his lecture, redox in chemistry. But I had been more interested in something else in mind.

Across the aisle, was Miku Hatsune. The nicest girl in the entire grade level, probably in the entire school. Not to mention she was _very_ pretty.

To me, girls were cute, but nothing to fuss over about. Though they could get real annoying sometimes, being overly emotional and sensitive about the stupidest of things, like the fangirls. But Miku wasn't like that, she was sweet-tempered, polite and reserved.

About a week ago, some guy accidentally tripped and dumped his lunch tray on her. That moron was apologizing and stuttering like crazy seeing it was a cute girl and all, having made a complete idiot out of himself. But she only smiled and said it was nothing to worry about, that it was an accident and it could've happened to anyone. That was just how forgiving she was.

I've had a crush on her since the beginning of this year, that Miku girl. With those long, teal pigtails and heavily-lashed emerald eyes, she could charm any guy. All it took was a sweet smile and polite 'good morning' and she'd have her way with you. Not to mention her figure was pretty nice… her slender, curvy form…

"… Len? Len?" Hearing my name being called, my eyes snapped back to the teacher.

"Huh?"

"Could you please explain how displacement reactions occur?" The purple-haired professor asked. Everyone, including Miku, stared at me.

My face reddened, "Er..."

"Go on." The professor urged, a hint of expectance in his voice.

"Ah. Um…" I sweat dropped, my face heating up every second.

Finally, he sighed, "Len? Were you listening at all?"

"Well… s-somewhat, sir." I half-lied. I partly understood what he had said earlier. Out of the corner of my eye, Miku and her friends giggling in my direction. My face burst into flames. I felt humiliated right there. Professor Gakupo gave me a half-exasperated, half-annoyed look before shaking his head.

"Never mind, just take a seat." Grateful, I plopped back into my seat, hiding behind a text book. I heard snickers and giggles surround the room, which only added up to my embarrassment. As the professor went on explaining, I stole a glance at Miku.

For a moment, I actually thought she was smiling at me.

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"LEN! You lucky bastard!" My good friend, Akaito tackled me from behind.

Was everyone after me today?

"I can't believe it! She noticed you? That's so great!" Akaito gave my shoulder a good punch.

I rubbed the spot where he hit me, groaning. "Everyone noticed me in the most embarrassing situation… she probably thinks I'm a total dork now." I groaned, banging my head against the wall.

"MOVE IT, KAGAMINE! FINISH THOSE LAPS!" Kei-sensei hollered with that scary, overly stern face of his. Gulping, I launched myself in exercise. Akaito snickered, running alongside me.

"You sucked big time on the world record book… in the entire history of sucking."

I shot him a glare, "YOU can start a record for not talking for the rest of the day."

"That would be impossible for Akaito…" Ted came panting up behind me.

"COME ON EVERYONE! MOVE THOSE LEGS!" Kei-sensei kept yelling, waving his clipboard at us threateningly.

"Urgh. I swear I'll kill that damn teacher if he doesn't shut up.." Ted growled under his breath.

"Ah, non non, Ted-chama, take a deep breath. That's it, breath…"

I sighed. Could this day get any worse?

"Ah! WATCH OUT!"

"Eh?" Turning my head, I saw a flying object coming towards me.

BAM.

My face came in contact with something hard, causing me to fall backwards. The object bounced off my face, I rubbed the aching spot. "Ow.." I groaned.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" A familiar, high-pitched voice gasped above me. I looked up, turning red the very second I saw who it was.

Miku.

"Hatsune." The drop-dead, gorgeous girl was covering her face with both hands, suddenly bending over.

"Oh no… your face! I-I'm really sorry, it was an accident! Really, I...!" It was strange, seeing Miku act so flustered compared to her usual cool demeanor. I suddenly realized how close we were.

"Nnngh!" I scrambled to my feet, my entire face heating up. "No, no! Don't worry about it!" I exclaimed, hurriedly trying to console her.

"No… It's not. I'm really, really sorry, Kagamine-kun…" Miku said, now covering her entire face in sheer embarrassment. Letting out an awkward laugh, I patted her head.

"Heh, it's my fault bumbling around like an idiot, if I've had noticed the ball coming before, I would've caught it. It's my own fault." Finally glancing up to meet my eyes, I flashed her a reassuring grin. Oddly enough, she blushed even harder than before.

"I, um, I...! I'll just...!" Miku, now extremely red in the face, tripped over her own words. "I'll just go then!" She grabbed the ball and started heading back. Confused, I could only stare after her as she returned to her friends.

What just happened?

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**11:27 P.M.**

I paused the game "Left 4 Dead", sighing.

I was still thinking about that earlier incident.

Why had Miku gotten so shy and nervous all of a sudden? Normally, she would never act like that. After that event, Ted and Akaito wouldn't stop teasing me about it. But I still didn't get why she had acted like that.

**BOOM!**

I jolted upward from my bed, looking out the window.

**BOOM!**

A streak of lightning flashed across the sky. The rain was really coming down outside my window. Sighing, I unplugged the connection.

That scared the bejeezus out of me, the news hadn't said anything about a thunderstorm. And from the sound of that thunder, it sounded like a big one. "This day certainly sucked." I murmured to myself, heading downstairs. A stormy day, I could call it. Full of twists and reckless confusion. I suddenly remembered Kaito was working late tonight. A worried frown plastered on my face.

I hope he's okay.

I walked into the kitchen, saying 'hi' to Dell and my mom who were already there. I grabbed a banana from the pantry, taking a small bite out of it. A small smile crept its way onto my lips. Whenever I'm stressed, I always eat a banana, it makes me feel better.

**BOOM!**

Another clap of thunder sounded throughout the house. Mom frowned, looking out the window. "Oh dear… what a storm." She turned, "I'm really worried about Kaito-kun. Shouldn't he have gotten back earlier?"

Dell, who was drinking his coffee, shrugged. "He's 16 years old, he can take care of himself." he answered bluntly without looking at mom.

"Dell, I'm serious! I haven't heard about this storm on the news channel, and it's obviously huge!" "Honey, I'm sure he's fine."

The front door slammed. Startled, we all glanced over, even Dell bothered to look up this time. A wild shriek pierced throughout the house, from the sound of it, the scream sounded like it belonged to a girl's.

"_Wie gesagt! Wer bist du? Antworte mir_!" The voice demanded.

The sound of shoes being thrown into the corner, a tired sigh escaped from another being. "Yeah yeah, we all know you come from another planet and talk in a different language." I heard Kaito mumble sarcastically.

"Kaito!" I yelled excitedly, running out the kitchen.

"_Lass mich runter_!" Another shrieking demand.

"Hey- ow, ow, OW! Quit flailing like that or you'll hurt yourself!" Kaito's irritated voice rang, sounding upset.

"_Ich werde dich töten! ICH WERDE DICH pulverisieren! Lass mich runter!" _Wow, whoever was screaming sure had a pair of lungs.

"Ingrate! I stepped in puddles for you! OW, DAMMIT! STOP PUNCHING ME!"

Turning a corner, I finally met him. "Kaito! Where have you been? We were all worried about-" I stopped. Kaito, drenched to the bone, shivering in his now completely soaked attire, glanced up. But that wasn't the reason I stopped.

Flung carelessly over his shoulder, a petite-looking girl with short, messy blonde hair soaked from the rain, stopped shouting long enough to glance over at me. Bits of metal clung to ends of her hair and I couldn't help but wonder why.

An open 'o' formed her tiny mouth, a look of surprise crossed her pale features, staring at me wide-eyed. But I was probably standing there gaping at her like an idiot myself. We locked gazes, and I found myself mesmerized by the stormiest eyes I've ever seen.

But here's the other thing, her eyes were also the prettiest of _blue_.

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Yes! Finally finished! *Fangirl squeal* Okay, maybe I was a little mean to Len in this chapter, but he's just so cute that way!

Anyway, I am well aware of the fact there was MikuxLen in this chapter. But I tell you, it was very hard to recreate since I absolutely **hate** that pairing, almost as much as I HATE NeruxLen... yeah, just shoot me.

Well, I'd like to thank all the reviewers with specific messages!

**WanderingSoulOfTime**: Thank you! I really hope your story is coming along, too! ^_^ Oh, and thank you for supporting me all this time!

**fujingodofwind**: (Laughs) So it was a good beginning, huh? Don't worry, Bluejay92 and I are going to give it are all!… Well, at least… I am… O_O You better stick around and review, though! Hahahaha.

**Moose:** St-Stop that, you're making me blush!.. Haha, no I'm kidding, thank you! I honestly didn't think the beginning was all that amazing, though. But I'm really flattered you said that.

**Bluejay92:** Hey partner! (Winks) Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad your dad is letting you borrow the computer, but I hope you get that laptop fixed soon! XD And yes, THE SUSPENSE THRILLS ME TOO! Anyway, happy ur here! I hope we get lots of reviews!

**SuperCrazedKITTY: **Cousin, dear! XD You actually bothered to review my story? Aww..! I knew you loved me! And yes, I feel bad for Rin too, LOL, especially in the next chapter. Thanks for reviewing me, but WHY IN THE WORLD DID YOU DELETE YOUR STORY? GET OFF MY LAWN!

**Miko A. Kimura: **All I can say is…. Oh.. MY SWEET JESUS! THE AUTHORESS FROM "1000 WAYS TO BURN AND DIE" READ MY STORY! AND REVIEWED IT, AND COMPLIMENTED ME! OOOOH… NOW I CAN DIE HAPPY..! I'm kidding, please don't be freaked out. But I'm really surprised you read it! Thank you for your support, I hope you'll say something about this one too.

Constructive criticism? Does anything need work? Am I making Len sound like a total moron? Please tell me!

((_))

But anyway, thanks everyone! BLUEJAY92, I BETTER SEE YOU REVIEWING ME! Seriously though, if you don't review… I'll start crying. (I mean it!)

Es lebe der Geschichte!


	3. Fragility

I don't own nor have any association whatsoever with Vocaloid. If I did, I'd own as a Japanese creator.

**Bold: **The language of Japanese, which (again) poor Rin will have no idea what's being talked bout…. And such.

_Italics:_ As I said before, it stands for insane screaming, flashbacks, and German.

Take care to enjoy and read!

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 3:**

_**Fragility**_

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**Kaito's POV**

First things first.

Was there some kind of telepathic connection between blondes?

It had taken me over half an hour just to stop kitten here from kicking me in the shins on my way here, but she immediately shuts up after just one glance at shouta.

I couldn't help but feel annoyed at the fact my kid brother could make even the worst of girls look his way, a screaming foreign girl this time.

Damn.

Len and his luck with women.

But God knows if it hadn't been for me, she'd _so_ be lying dead on the streets right now. Well, that's how I found her anyway, lying unconscious in the middle of the road while I was driving home from work.

Almost gave me a heart attack. Not only did she look _freakishly_ similar to Len, but scratches and bruises covered her from head to toe…

Irritated, I dropped her to the ground, causing the girl to squeak in surprise. She landed on the floor with a _thump_.

Len immediately blinked, sending me a glare. "Hey! Why'd you do that?" He demanded in a surprisingly sharp tone, I raised a thin brow at this.

Shrugging, I said, "My arm was getting tired." Len rolled his eyes, crossing his arms in a rather girly way.

"You didn't have to just drop her like that. She could've gotten hurt." He replied angrily. It was my turn to roll my eyes.

"Right, a girl who punches like hell will get hurt by just being dropped to the ground." I retorted, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I removed my soaked, soggy white coat, grimacing at its new appearance.

Rolling his eyes again, he glanced down at the shivering girl who had been staring the whole time, her big blue eyes were wide with bewilderment. Len's eyes then softened, he bent down. Curious, I decided to watch as I hung my now soaking favorite coat onto the hangar.

"Hey." At the sound of his voice, the girl immediately flinched. Her soaked figure now trembling uncontrollably, she squeezed her eyelids shut and cowered back, as if waiting for him to strike her. Frowning slightly, he offered his hand out.

The girl, opening one eye, now stared at his outstretched hand, still shaking like a frightened animal. "…!" She looked up to meet his gaze, staring at him with innocent blue orbs.

"I'm not going to hurt you.." Slowly, Len drew closer, which only made the girl stiffen. Gazing at her with a gentle frown on his face, he leaned lower, forcing her to meet his soft gaze. "I only want to help." This time, his voice dropped to a whisper. Staring at him through the wet bangs shadowing her eyes, her breathing started to slow, and her pale shoulders began to relax. Sensing this, a small smile tugged at the ends at the blond's lips.

He was finally getting to her.

"Please, will you trust me?" He extended his hand even further. The other blond, though still wary, glanced down at his outstretched hand.

That was when she did the strangest thing.

Suddenly leaning forward, she placed the left side of her face… into Len's palm. We both stared at her in surprised disbelief, Len especially. She nuzzled her cheek against his hand, breathing heavily and still shaking.

"U-Uh…" Len stuttered, shocked and completely lost for words.

Scoffing, I stepped past the both of them. She really was like an animal.

Stepping into the kitchen, I saw Nami over at the table where my dad was, both suddenly looking up.

"Kaito-kun!" I soon found myself being squeezed to death by a slim blond woman. "Where on earth have you been? We were seriously worried about you!" She exclaimed, worry evident in her voice. Then, she pulled away, checking all over my body for any injuries. "Are you hurt? You're soaked to the bone! And what was that scream I heard just n-" She abruptly stopped, glancing over.

Turning my head as well, I saw Len supporting the girl with her arm flung over his shoulder while his own skinny arm was locked tightly around her waist, helping her walk.

Nami let go of me, glancing curiously at the girl. "Len-kun? Who is-" Another boom of thunder shook the house. A started yelp erupted from the blonde girl, burying her face into Len's shirt, much to his embarrassment. She started clinging to him even tighter, trembling.

"Gwaah!" His face turned a light shade of pink, frantically trying to calm her down. "H-Hey! It's okay, it's only thunder!"

"Len, who is that?" My dad suddenly spoke. Len glanced up, smiling nervously.

"Well… I honestly don't know. Kaito's the one who brought her here." Len spoke with a slight chuckle, glancing at me. By now, both dad and Nami were looking at me expectantly. I let out a tired sigh as I sat down into one of the fancy chairs.

"I found her lying unconscious on the side of the road when I was driving home, so I decided to bring her over." Glancing back at the girl with the dirtied white dress, I let out another sigh.

"You mean… she had been attacked?" Nami stared at me wide-eyed in pure horror. "B-But..!" She stole a glance back at her, sputtering. "Just look at her! She's only a little girl, no bigger than Len-kun!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed my dad was looking at the girl with a deep expression, as if studying her.

"And all those bruises! She can barely even stand!" Nami immediately grabbed the phone, about ready to call the police. "What's her name? Who are her parents? Where does she live? I need to know Kaito-kun!" Her face was now contorted with absolute panic, eyes filled with concern.

Dad stood up, rubbing her back in a comforting motion. "Honey, relax." He said calmly, nodding his head in encouragement as the woman forced herself to take deep, calming breaths.

"I need some aspirin." The woman muttered, clutching her head. She started heading towards the cabinet. Dad frowned at Len.

"Len, do you have any spare clothes?"

I raised a curious eyebrow, where was dad going with this?

Len glanced over, "Yeah. I do.." Then, he raised a curious eyebrow, "But why?"

"Let the girl borrow them for the night, she'll be sleeping over." Len looked at him in surprise. My jaw fell open in shock, I shot up from my chair.

"Wh-What? Dad, you-!" I stammered, gaping at him in disbelief. "Are you insane? She's-" He peered at me through thick-rimmed glasses, giving me _that_ look. I instantly clamped my mouth shut.

"We'll discuss this in the morning, it's late." Dad spoke in a firm voice, making his decision final. "And she's badly injured," He then raised a gray brow, "surely you weren't thinking of suddenly throwing out a little girl into the storm, were you? Especially one you just saved?" I inwardly flinched, chewing my lip.

He got me.

"No sir." I murmured, looking at the ground.

Turning to Len, he said, "Lead her to the guest bedroom." Len nodded quickly, leading her up the stairs as quietly as possible.

"Dad.." I started just as they left, he turned to face me.

"That girl," Dad interrupted me in a serious tone, "how did you find her?" I gave him a confused stare.

"Didn't you hear me? I found her lying unconscious on the road."

The old man glanced out the window, eyes narrowing. "Is that so...?" I tilted my head to the side in bewilderment.

"Dad?" He snapped his head back to me. "Something wrong?" I asked, even more confused now. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head.

"She's obviously not from Japan, that's for sure."

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**Len's POV**

I did my best to help the strange girl as we walked (or rather, I did the walking for her) into the one of the spare guest bedrooms the mansion held, flipping the switch on. Ceiling lights lit the entire room, temporarily blinding me before my eyes could adjust.

Curious, the girl beside me began to look around.

It was a big, spacious room. White carpet had been laid out with the large, expensive rug in the middle. A canopy bed stood silently at one side of the wall, its neat white covers untouched. There was also a large closet in the corner for clothes, which she didn't really have.

All in all, it was a tidy, unused room.

I crinkled my forehead, I always found it odd that we had so many guest rooms in this freakishly giant mansion. We never had guests over except friends like Meiko or Akaito. But they never spent the night, much to my relief, it would've weird... and awkward. But now, suddenly having a girl caught in the storm as our guest?

"Do you like it?" I asked to break the uncomfortable silence, making her turn to face me. She only stared at me in confusion, tilting her head to the side like a curious mutt. I stared back as well.

Was she shy or something? She hadn't talked for a long time since Kaito brought her in.

Then it hit me. She had been screaming at Kaito in another language a while ago, one I couldn't recognize. Did that mean she couldn't understand Japanese?

I bit my lip anxiously.

How was I supposed to know her name if we couldn't even communicate? An idea suddenly came to me, I decided to try it.

I set her down on the edge of the bed, kneeling beside her. "Len." I pointed to myself, she looked up. "Len." I repeated, still pointing. She gave me a look of confusion, a question mark practically hovering over her head.

"Len." I said again, less enthusiastically this time. I was beginning to feel stupid. "Len. That's my name." She seemed to perk up at the word 'name.' I took one of her hands, silently placing it on my chest. "Len."

"… L-... Len?" She asked softly. I couldn't believe it. Her voice was.. _pretty_, like wind chimes. Soft and sweet, with an accented high soprano. I couldn't stop myself from blushing.

"Y-Yeah.." I mumbled, rubbing my head. Then, I pointed to her. "What about you?" Confusion returned.

"What about you?" The girl repeated, pointing to herself with a quizzical expression.

"No no," I quickly said, grabbing her hands again, "Len." I pointed to myself.

"Len." She answered back dutifully.

Then, I pointed to her with an expectant gaze. "Name? Your name?" Her eyes widened, and she seemed to understand.

"Name..." The girl uttered softly, looking thoughtful. For a while, it looked as if she were dreaming. Then, as if she remembered, an 'ah!' escaped. Immediately, she placed my hands on her chest.

"R-Rin.." The girl said, pointing to herself. I was hardly paying attention though, my eyes had wandered to where she had put my hands. I felt my entire face heat up. "Rin..!" The girl said again, eyes big. Then, she pointed to me, placing her own hands atop my chest. "Len…" She said in a small voice, just barely whispering.

I wondered if she could hear the furious beating of my heart, it was pounding against my chest like a drum.

"Y-Yeah.." I murmured, glancing up. "So… Rin is your name?" Again, she stared at me. I smiled, chuckling. "It's cute."

Rin blinked. "… Cute?" I noticed she was shivering, and her hair still had chips of metal stuck. I got up, going to the guest bathroom and grabbing a towel, rushing out.

Rin was still in deep thought, repeating the word 'cute' to herself. Grinning, I suddenly attacked her head with the towel. "Ah!" She cried out in surprise. I continued grinning to myself, drying out her hair in a furious motion, chips of metal falling from her hair.

I stopped to face her, still grinning. I grabbed a nearby comb on the nightstand, brushing through her short hair.

Then I stopped, examining her face. She wrapped the warm, fluffy towel around her small frame, shivering

Call me crazy, but… Rin was kind of cute.

Now that her hair had been tidied up, I could see her face better.

Big, vibrant blue irises shining with innocence and childlike wonder. A small, button-like nose. Her heart-shaped face with small, bow-shaped pink lips.

She looked just like a puppy… kind of.

I blushed, trying to get the thought of keeping her on a leash out of my head. I ran out of the room, returning with spare clothes.

"H-Here.." I stammered, nervously handing them over. A strand of hair abruptly fell out of place when she looked at me with those puppy eyes, I had to resist the urge to touch it and keep it back in place. Slowly, she took the folded clothes and placed them on her lap. She then proceeded to remove her dress.

Panicking, I turned the other way.

After a while, I peeked over my shoulder cautiously to see if she was done. She was staring me, fully dressed in my clothes and under the covers. I sighed in relief, turning around again.

"Well, g'night Rin." I smiled at her, waving goodbye. Flicking the lights off, I started to step out of the room.

"L-Len!" I turned around at the sound of my name, cocking a brow.

"Rin?"

Rin was looking at me with a pleading expression. "Len..!" She sat up, patting an empty spot. "Rin.. Len! Stay!" She begged, her eyes growing big with worry.

Realizing what she meant, I blushed. "N-No! Rin, I mean, that's really nice of you and all but-"

"Len…" She begged again, getting teary-eyed. A slight blush came across her face, her eyes were becoming moist.

I froze.

Oh no no no no. There was no way she was going to cry. No freakin' way, besides it would be too perverted-

"Len.." Her blue eyes started to water, she reached out to me, as if afraid I would leave her forever. The blush on my face intestified. A slight hiccup escaped from her throat, "Len...!" She was now reaching out to me with both arms.

I grit my teeth in frustration.

Shit, she was being too damn cute to resist...

Trudging over, my face grew even warmer as I let myself slip under the warm covers. She let out a relieved puff of air, hitting the pillow and turning the other way. Blushing, I placed a fluffy white pillow between us.

I hit the pillow with a sigh. I'd leave as soon as she fell asleep, I concluded to myself with a content nod. My eyelids grew heavy, so I closed them.

Before I knew it, I had drifted off into sleep.

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*Gasp* I… finished..! YES! Now I can relax and crash this weekend! *Squeals*

Bluejay92, look at all the reviews..! THEY LOVE US! xD

**Bluejay92: **Yaay! You reviewed again! Thank you so much! Haha, I'm glad you liked chapter 2. And yes, Len was positively adorable in that video, singing Pretty Cure~~~ :3 Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter too! Also, get that laptop fixed already! LOL.

**WanderingSoulofTime: **Ah, my all time supporter. Teehee, I'll be keeping up the good work for sure! Thanks for reviewing!

**Miko A. Kimura: **Yes! The AWESOMEST author has commented on my fic once again! Thank you for the advice, I really stuck with it. How do you like this one? Anything that needs to be fixed? Grammatical errors? I'd really love to hear from you again! And I DID NOT KNOW YOU HAD A BASEBALL BAT, PLEASE DON'T HURT ME…. O_O

**Hikari no Destany: **You have SUCH a pretty name! I love it! XD Thanks for reviewing, I appreciate it. Admittedly, I really love the songs too! Even if you're not into pairings, it makes me very happy that you like my fic.

**Moose: **Hahaha, we all love it when Len's a dork, huh? Then again, he's cute in ANY form, I just wanna chain him to the basement and listen to his beautiful voice forever and ever~~ LOL, I'm joking. Thank you, I hope you like this chappie too!

**SuperCrazedKITTY: **I DON'T GIVE A HANG, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE QUIT! IT'S YOUR OWN FAULT FOR WRITING ABOUT A SELF-CENTERED TENNIS PRINCE WHO COULDN'T CARE LESS FOR AN OVERLY SHY, DIZTY GIRL! *Takes a deep breath* Now that I'm done with my rant, I LOVE YOU TOO~~xD! And thanks cuz. LOL, I'm doing my best to capture Kaito's image.

**fujingodofwind: **Haha, don't worry, I will. Thanks much for reviewing!

**DarkLover46: **Excuse me, LOVED? As in past tense? O_O DOES THAT MEAN YOU DON'T LOVE IT ANYMORE?

**azurex: **THANK YOU ^^ But you're not supposed understand the German until Rin's POV, otherwise, it wouldn't be as fun not to keep you in the dark. XD

**Lria- **Ahahaha, yup, that video cracked me up too! So I thought 'hm, maybe I could put it into my story', and YES..! Another anti MikuxLen fan! XD Thanks for the advice, btw, I hope this chapter proved to be an improvement. Sorry if I confused you :P. Do you love me now? ***puppy eyes* **I updated..! S-So.. That MUST mean you love me… right? RIGHT? **O_O**

**Bubblycutie- **I updated! XD Thanks for reviewing!

**orangesky3- **Heh heh, good to know! And yes, I agree, poor Len just CAN'T help being shouta xD. I am such a bad person, LOL. But Bakaito's just too hilarious to ignore xD.

But s-stop..! M-my isn't THAT good..! Y-You're making me blush!

Jk, jk. XD But thanks anyway.

**misc-13- **Haha, thank you! I never knew you were so fond of Miku, I'll do my best to confide with your wish… on the other hand, that could be hard.. *eyes gleam evilly*

**(())**

Thanks so much, everyone! You all make life worth living! XD

But please comment again, we'd like to know your opinions! Constructive criticism, praises, and teens of all ages are welcome! By the way, Bluejay92 will be uploading the next chappie, be sure to enjoy hers!

Once again, _es lebe der Geschichte!_


	4. House Guest

Bluejay92's chapter update has been cancelled, due to household issues. The water pipes froze and burst, flooding her house, thus, she will be unable to update any chapters at this time.

However, it is most comforting to be assured of her safety, so yay! XD And fortunately, I decided to write up this chapter for her… so get well soon, Bluejay92!~ Plus, more good news!~ XD The wonderful, amazing authoress of _"__1000 Ways to Burn And Die__"_ has decided to join us in this collab fic! AKA, Miko A. Kimura! Yaaay! I'm so happy! XD Thank you, Miko!

In any case, it would seem this story is getting more popular by the day! Already 600 hits, that's amazing! XD

Thanks everyone for your kind support, I really never expected for the viewers to… well, 'review' and review again. (Laughs) I love Germany, but it'll be years from now before I can hop on the plane and escape my dull town in Kansas, USA. Also, it seems people are really starting to adore Rin-chan at this point. Well, Rin is just so innocent and cute, I love making her that way, especially when Len thinks so too!

Ahem, that saying, (as I will shut up at this point.)

Enjoy!

**Bold**: Japanese, which Rin cannot decipher.

_Italics_: Stands for German, trance-like dreams, insane yelling, etc..

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_Project: VOCALOID_

_**Chapter 4**_

_**House Guest**_

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**Rin's POV**

_I opened my eyes, looking around. __A vast garden of green surrounded me, large pink irises and tall green plants hovering my body. The sound of birds chirped happily, singing along in the morning light. __Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something. __A tiny girl about the age of five was hovering over something, her back facing me. She wore a white dress with a large white hat on the top of her head._

"_La~ la~…" The girl sang, her voice ringing sweetly. Curious, I started to move towards her. "La~~ la~ la~..." She continued, giggling as she did. __I started to reach out to her, then, she suddenly spun around, gasping. She__ looked at me (her eyes were shadowed, concealing her identity)._

"… _Heh." A wide grin crept its way onto her face, her short blonde hair tucked neatly beneath the white hat._

_I tilted my head to the side in confusion._

"_Who…?" I started to ask, then, something strange happened._

_Blood._

_Blood started to seep through her dress, staining its white attire. Blobs of red liquid began to run down the side of her head, even her grin was tainted crimson._

_My eyes widened, the garden suddenly disappeared, and the birds' chirping abruptly came to an end. Everything became deathly silent._

"_Hee hee.." The girl's grin broadened as she reached towards me with both hands covered in blood. __Then, grinning, the girl said in a soft, childlike voice:_

"_Wake up."_

* * *

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

A long howl of terror blasted my ears, surprised, I shot up from the bed in alarm, though still dazed. Putting both hands to my head, I gasped, shivering.

What was that dream all about? I couldn't understand.

Len, who had been on my right side, shot up from the bed as well, looking around wildly. Then, his gaze stopped, glaring straight ahead. Curious, I followed to where he was looking at. There, the blue-haired boy from last night, was backed up against the door, staring at us wide-eyed in horror.

"**You…-"** A low growl erupted from Len, causing me to flinch involuntarily. He glared at the blue-haired boy with red-rimmed eyes due from lack of sleep. The other boy let out another melodramatic gasp, pointing at Len with a shaking finger.

"**BEAST!"** The tall boy suddenly tackled him, a yell of protest sounding. I gasped, now wide awake. "**Beast! Animal! You pig! Having your way with a girl you just met last night! How could you, traitor?"** The strange, tall boy shouted at Len in that strange, alien language. Wrestling and grabbing him into a tight headlock.

"**S… Stop..!"** Len choked out, struggling to release himself from the tight embrace, his face starting to turn a deadly shade of purple from lack of oxygen. Worry increased inside of me, I didn't like the sound of all that yelling, nor could I understand what they were saying, but all I knew was it couldn't possibly mean good health when your face is such an unnatural state of color!

"Len!" I exclaimed, throwing the sheets off. The blue-haired boy's curved into an 'o' as he looked at me in surprise, eyes wide. The two suddenly fell back, landing on the floor.

"**Urgh!" **The blue boy sounded, groaning. Startled, I bent low, examining their position with concern.

"Len…?" I asked worriedly.

A strange chuckle erupted from the blue-haired person, grinning, he turned to Len. **"Ooooh, doth my ears deceive me, otherwise hath thy maiden spoke of ye **name **just now?"**

"**OFF ME. NOW."** I heard Len hiss in the same, strange language the other boy spoke. Although confused, I was glad for the sudden distraction, at least the color in Len's face was returning to its normal state now. I made another attempt to distract the strange blue person even further.

"Rin." I said, pointing to myself. Then, I pointed at Len, "Len." The other boy raised a thin brow, eying me in confusion. "Rin." I said again, hoping he understood. I then pointed to him, waiting for an answer.

Silence.

That is, until Len broke it. **"Kaito."** He said, pounding a fist against the blue-haired boy's chest.

I tilted my head to the side, "Kaito?" I turned to this 'Kaito' person, pointing to him again. "Kaito?" I turned to Len once again, slightly doubtful. However, all doubt faded when Len smiled, nodding.

"Kaito **is his **name."

Another silence.

But this time, Kaito was the one to break it.

"**You beast!" **Kaito suddenly laughed, **"I always knew you were good with women, but damn! You sure work fast!"**

"**Wh-what?" **Len's face turned red, much to my awe. I never knew he could turn so many different colors.

A strange grin crept onto Kaito's face. **"You weren't having ANY dirty thoughts, eh?" **I tilted my head to the side, now frustrated.

What were they talking about now?

"**Well ye- NO! ****Get off!"**

"**Yeah right,"** Kaito scoffed,** "being left alone, helping a girl change, sharing the same bed all through the night…it's obvious you both-"**

"_**HELL **_**_NO!"_**

I jolted in surprise at Len's sudden scream.

"**Th-that's just…! There's no way in hell we..!"** Len sputtered, his hair flying all over the place and his face an even darker shade of red. He slammed a fist into Kaito's stomach, causing him to yelp in pain. Heavy blows of punches, pleas, and shouting landed below as I looked away, too scared to see what was happening. Len suddenly got up, still red in the face with a groaning Kaito spread out on the floor. "**C-Come on **Rin**, let's head downstairs." **he said, beckoning me. I looked at him, confused.

A sigh emitted from the boy. "Rin, **go downstairs**." He gestured to the white door.

"Rin… go?" I pointed to the door, half-confused. Did 'go' mean to go out of the room?

A smile grew on Len's face, he nodded. **"That's right.**"

"**Apple?"** Kaito perked up, an excited grin forming, which earned a kick from Len. (A/N: The way Rin pronounced it, Kaito mistook the phrase as **Ringo**, which means 'apple' in Japanese.)

"Len go too?" I asked, not willing to 'go' if Len wouldn't follow. The boy stared at me, surprised at first, then, chuckled.

"**Alright, alright,"** He laughed, nodding.** "I'll **go too**."** At those words, I eagerly scrambled towards the door, suddenly feeling light on my feet. "**H-Hey! Wait up! **Rin!" I heard Len's footsteps behind me as I slid down the spiraling banister, which only increased his alarmed cries.

While it was somewhat reassuring that I was possibly safe in this giant house, I still felt at an unease.

The truth was, after being brought here last night, I couldn't recall anything else.

Everything in my head was blank, all the pieces were missing.

Who am I? Who _was_ I before?

How did I get here? And where was this place?

Why was it that the people around me spoke a different language I couldn't understand?

But most of all, why couldn't I remember my past?

Everything was happening too fast, it was so confusing.

* * *

**Kaito's POV**

"There aren't any records anyone by the name of 'Rin' in this area." Dad said as he sipped his coffee, carefully observing our actions.

We were all gathered in the living room for a family meeting, discussing the matters about a certain blonde-haired girl. "Whaddaya mean 'no records?" I demanded, crossing my arms, "Her name isn't uncommon. There should be at least one girl with the same name as hers in the country no less!"

Dad sighed, looking over to Rin who was currently exploring the wide kitchen, poking at a coffee maker with curious intent. "The police are currently investigating this matter, but as I said last night, she isn't from Japan."

"What makes you say that?" I asked, starting to get annoyed. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see shota clenching and unclenching his fists.

A testy look appeared on my dad's face. "For starters, she obviously doesn't speak our language, much less understand us." he said blatantly, causing me to flinch. "Secondly, as I said before, she hasn't been included in the records." He continued, placing his cup of coffee down, "and thirdly.." he stopped, suddenly growing very quiet.

"And thirdly'?" I urged with growing impatience, tapping my foot against the carpet. Dad didn't answer for a while, still critically examining Rin with cautious eyes. Then, he sighed, shaking his head.

"… Nothing, never mind." My old man said, picking up his mug once again.

"So what should we do about Rin-chan now?" Nami asked, frowning. "We obviously can't call her parents."

"Can't we just find someone else who can look after her?" I suggested.

Len suddenly shot up, looking about ready to blow over that offer. "You mean to just lend her to a group of strangers she doesn't even know? She isn't some dog." Len said, giving me an annoyed look.

I snorted, "You're acting as if she's part of your property or something," then, I grinned, "or maybe she's your pet now? Sleeping in the same bed are one of the things a dog and master do together."

"…!" The blond's eyes widened, a dark blush painting over his cheeks. "Sh-She's..! I s-said sh-she's not a dog, m-moron!" He then crossed his arms, turning away, "Besides, what makes you think sending Rin to a random family will do any good?"

I crinkled my forehead, still grinning. "Just _why _are you so against my offer, Shota-kun? It's not like she trusts us or anything, so what makes you think she'd want to stay here in the first place?"

Nami frowned, smoothing out her long sunny hair. "He's right, Len-kun. It's clear Rin-chan doesn't know any of us. So it'd be natural for her not to have the need to stay here." Shota looked back at Nami, gritting his teeth in frustration. But he looked almost ready to give up.

"But..!-" Len started desperately.

"Leeen!" We turned to see who had called him. Rin came rushing over with an orange.

"Eh... Rin?" Len looked at her, confused. The girl had a troubled look on her face, suddenly holding out the orange.

"This?" Rin asked, poking at it, concerned.

Nami's eyes then widened, looking back into the white kitchen. "O-Oh! She got that out of the fruit basket! I need that for my next painting...!" Nami stood up, only to be stopped by Dad.

At first, Len stared at her, then chuckled. He sat back down on the fancy green couch. Curious, Rin sat down too, hovering close to him. "Orange." He said, pointing at it. "Orange."

Rin tilted her head to the side like a curious dog, "O…range?" She repeated questioningly.

A slight chuckle escaped from Len, he cracked a smile. "Yeah, orange." He began to peel the pieces off, which intensified Rin's curiosity.

I was surprised. All of us, other than the two blonds, were thoroughly dumbfounded, we could only watch in silence as the two continued to engage in close contact. Once the skin had been peeled off, Len immediately split a fleshy piece away, its juice dripping on the carpet, much to Nami's dislike. "Len-kun, I better not be the one cleaning up that mess!" The tough blonde woman informed him, causing him to sigh slightly.

"Yes, Mom."

Then, he popped into his mouth, chewing. A satisfied smile came afterwards. "Nngh! Len!" The blonde turned to face Rin, a look of shock enveloping him, but I had to admit, I was surprised too.

Rin was currently leaning over, pointing at her open mouth, as if wanting him to feed her.

Oh wait, that's EXACTLY what she wanted.

… Coughawkwardcough.

"Rin! Orange!" Rin begged, tugging at the end of his shirt.

A large drop of sweat appeared at the back of Len's head. "But… Rin-" He started, only to be cut off when she let out a small whimper.

"Ah! Orange...!" Rin's blue eyes grew big, begging him. She then proceeded to fully rest her entire head in his lap, curling her hands like puppy paws. "Ahh!" She begged, opening her mouth wide. I chuckled to myself, so, the girl had gone from thrashing animal to Len's pet dog? Niiice.

A slight tinge of pink fluttered across his cheeks, sighing, "Alright, alright." Peeling off another slice, he popped it into Rin's mouth, flushing even more when her tongue accidentally brushed across his fingers. To which she had only been innocently licking off the juice.

"..!" The girl's eyes widened after swallowing it whole, her face swelling with happiness. "Mmmm!" She squealed with delight, eyes big. "Ah!" She opened her mouth again, begging for more. By now, Shota's face was so red, a tomato could feel its position being threatened. Reluctantly, he started peeling yet another slice.

It took all of my strength to hold back my laughter.

"Well, she obviously trusts Len." Dad said, acting as if a girl licking Shota's fingers _suggestively_ was nothing out of the ordinary. Turning to my stepmom, he asked. "What do you think, Nami?"

The blonde artist bit her lip, trying to decide. "Well… If she trusts Len-kun…" Her voice drifted off, which my dad took as a 'yes.' He suddenly turned to me.

"Kaito?"

For a moment, I pondered. Was I alright with this?

Could I possibly handle a cute foreign chick who couldn't speak Japanese hang around the house?

An animal-like girl who was practically strangers with me, share the Xbox, eat meals at the table, and sleep under the same roof as I did? A weird blonde kid who looked like Len's long lost twin, who'd unintentionally embarrass him and get away with it without a scratch or bruise to be found… stay at my house?

"Sure, fine." I dismissed the question with a wave of my hand, brushing off the urge to grin. "Rin's cute, so it makes up all the trouble she put me through."

"It's settled then," Dad said, dusting down his jeans. "The girl can stay here for the time being. In the meantime…" He looked at Len, appearing even more firm and serious. "She is your responsibility, Len." He stated firmly. "Since you wanted to keep her in this house, you will have to look after her."

Len looked slightly startled, he suddenly blinked. "O-Okay then." Rin, on the other hand, was greedily munching down the remains of the orange, completely oblivious to what was going on.

Nami suddenly shot up, looking excited. "A-A daughter? I've always wanted a little girl!" She squealed, suddenly grabbing Rin. "Come on, Rin-chan! We've got to do some _shopping~!_" She practically sang the last part, raising her wallet high like it was Black Friday.

"…!" An alarmed Rin could only struggle helplessly against Nami's tight grasp. "L-Len!" Rin called, reaching out to him with pleading eyes.

"You too, Kaito-kun!~~ You can carry the bags!" Groaning, I stood up, trudging after the girls. As soon as I entered the hall, I couldn't help but notice Len had been held back by my dad.

Shrugging it off, I decided it was nothing, rushing to grab my scarf.

I hoped Nami would buy some more ice cream, there were only 2 gallons of vanilla left in the freezer.

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**Len's POV**

"Just one moment, Len." Dell suddenly said as soon as I got up to help Rin. I was reluctant to do so though, hearing Rin's desperate pleas echo down the hall. Mom being mom, she could get pretty crazy when it came to cute stuff.

"Yeah, Dell?" I asked quickly, slightly impatient.

Dell said nothing for a moment, then, his eyes narrowed.

"Be careful." I raised an eyebrow, confused.

"What-"

"Just be careful." Dell replied quickly, turning me around. "Now hurry along." Despite being confused, I obeyed, staring at him carefully on my way out.

Dell's face was firm, and… apprehensive?

Rushing out of the room, I hurried to the starting van, still thinking about Dell's words.

'Be careful'?

Of what?

What did he mean by that?

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**General POV**

Outside of the Kagamine household, a tall figure stood. The figure appeared to be a boy, or a young man dressed in a full black attire. A small smirk tugged at the ends of his lips as he flipped out a black cellphone. In a quiet voice, he spoke in a raw, sharp language.

_"I've located the Project."_

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FINISHED! And just in time for the holidays!

Thanks for all the reviews, everyone! This is my Christmas present from me, to you all! MERRY CHRISTMAS! XD

In any case, I'm glad this story is starting to get popular, I honestly didn't think it would…. I-I think I'm going to cry…! T_T

Also, the Kagamines' birthdays are coming soon! December 27th is the famed birth date. So happy (early) birthday, Rin and Len Kagamine! XD

Anyway, thanks so much for reviewing everyone!

**WanderingSoulofTime: **(Laughs) Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

**Hikari no Destany: **(Gasps) A-Are you possibly implying no one has ever complimented your name but myself? **O_O THE HORROR**…!

LOL. I'm kidding, your name really is cute though, it just surprises me no one else has commented on it! And your OC is absolutely cute! **xD **

Anyway, thanks so much for reviewing! I enjoyed reading your comment, it made me laugh!

**Lria: **YAAAY! You reviewed again! *squeals*

In any case, now that our love has been publicly declared… WE MUST GET MARRIED AT ONCE! XD ^^ Just kidding~~! And yeah, Rin's just too lovable when she doesn't have the faintest idea what's going on~~~! Poor darling. Anyway, thanks again! XD

**Kainushi-Moi:** Yup, we just love the cute, innocent side of Rin, ne? x3 Thanks for reviewing!

**Miko A. Kimura:** Yay! Miko! XD Thank you so much for reviewing! Oh, is there anything I should improve at this point? I'm really glad I have your help, so thank you!

**AnimaniacXOX: **(Laughs) Yes, yes, I agree! Rin and Len ARE cute! XD Thanks for reviewing!

**Goose:** Hm, I hope you don't mind if I ask this, but… are you in relation with the reviewer 'Moose' of some sort? Your names really are quite similar. **O_O **LOL, well whatever, thanks for reviewing! XD

**Chikanpo: **I just LOVE your avatar! It's so funny and cute~~! XD Ahaha, all those chibis, do you know where I can order one of the chibi Lens?~ Thanks for reviewing!

**orangesky3: **Haha, yup, you're absolutely correct! Poor Rin will finally have the taste of real life… in 3-D! Kidding~! And yes, I guess you could say Len just can't resist a woman's touch, or in this case, Rin's cute charm! Thanks for reviewing, as always! XD

**SuperCrazedKITTY: **NO WAY! Not if _I_ take Rin-chan home first, she's coming with me! :P LOL, thanks for reviewing though, it's nice to have family support. And yup, writing that part made ME melt as well. XD

**Bluejay92: **So here she is, the person who totally ditched me in the desert! :P Off my lawn, you traitor! XDJust kidding, it's not your fault the pipes burst. I'm just glad you're okay. XD Well, happy holidays partner!

**Bubblycutie: **Yaay! You're back! XD And HM, yes… what language DOES Rin speak?… LOL. Thanks for reviewing!~

**Moose:** My love for Rin is just as big as my affections for Len-kun~~! XD But I'd have to say my favorite form of Len… is the sexy, evil one! **X3 **Thanks for reviewing!

**fujingodofwind: **(Drum roll) Heeeeeeeeeeere's chapter 4! Thanks for reviewing, dearest bystander! XD

**Enilec: **A 'page turner' you say? Heh heh, you just might be right about Dell… (chuckles evilly) You're right though, I guess I should be more aware of the setting… *sighs* But thanks, your advice really helped me a lot! I'll be more careful from now on! I hope you'll assist me once again for this next chapter!

**Mizuki Kagamine:** R-Rape my story..? Ahahaha… um… I'm just gonna back away from you.. No, I'm joking. LOL, thanks so much for reviewing!

**xXStrawberryFlavorXx: **(Laughs) Why thank you! I'm glad you like it so much, it makes me very happy. Personally, to me, Miku's fine. I mean, I'm not a huge fan of hers or anything like that, but she does have a nice voice. Though I prefer the Kagamine twins over her any day. *winks* But I'd have to say the only Vocaloid who REALLY gets on my nerves is Akita Neru. I get so sick of seeing LenxNeru MMD pairing fics on you tube. It makes me sick.

Haha, it's nice to see another person who likes Rin, and you're right… Rin DOES belong to Len, other than his fan girls. XD Thanks for reviewing! XD

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Thanks for all the reviews, everyone! XD I hope you all have a safe, wonderful Christmas! By the way, I'm going to be turning fourteen soon! The official age of Rin and Len..! *Squeals*

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS! XD

Sorry, I just had to say that.

Anyway, chapter five will (eventually) be up! So look forward to it, everyone! XD

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	5. Black Rabbit

(Gasps)

WOOO! Another update, people! This is a bonus chapter, uploaded for all of you, just because I love you so much! Anyway, really, thank you all _so_ much. I'll definitely keep going with my very, very best!

Oh no..! But Len doesn't have a POV in this chappie. T_T (Laughs) Don't worry though, he'll be the star in chapter six, well, mostly.

Anyway, the chapter… is… rolling!

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 5**

_**Black Rabbit**_

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**Rin's**** POV**

"**Hey **Nami**, don't you think we could've at least given **Rin** some time to change her clothes **_**before**_** rushing to the mall first thing in the morning?"**

"**Nonsense, **Kaito**-kun! **Rin**-chan only came in that muddy dress of hers, remember? Besides, it's being washed right now.**"

I could only listen to the meaningless conversation which was going on in the front two seats. I let out a small, frustrated puff as I looked out the window, causing the cold glass to fog up. For almost no reason at all, I had been forced into this strange, purring machine on wheels running down one of the two long lanes of other colorful machines. And now, we were going to this 'mall' everyone kept repeating.

What was a 'mall' anyway?

This was all so confusing.

Here I was, practically taken captive by these strange foreign people whom I just met last night, riding in a strange metal machine which was being controlled by a fat, circular wheel the woman was turning.

"Mom**, she could've borrowed some of your old clothes. Your body is pretty small anyway."** Len, who was also sharing the leather backseat with me, stated. Even when I tried to decipher what they were saying, it still confused me.

I had now just learned the woman who had a vague resemblance of Len was called 'Nami', she was one of the people I noticed last night, but I've never actually paid any real attention to, that is, until now. Earlier, I had guessed 'Nami' was her name since the Kaito and the other man from the house with thick glasses kept calling her that. And since Len had been the only person to continually refer to her as 'Mom', I could only decide it meant _Mutti_ in my German tongue. I had then figured the obvious.

Nami was Len's _mutti_.

My eyes widened as I studied at the strange, cheerful woman.

Nami is _beautiful_. Why hadn't I noticed that before?

She is a vague image of Len, having some of his features. With trailing golden hair with red highlights (appearing when the sun hit) stopping at her waist, everything would glow. She is also very slim and fair-skinned, like Len. But her eyes were different. Instead of having clear, cerulean eyes, Nami happened to have sparkling, light-brown eyes that glimmered with laughter.

I sighed.

Nami's eyes were very, _very_ pretty, but…

Len's eyes were best.

Blue, clear and relaxing, it was like slowly drowning in an endless blue without having to worry about anything else.

Not my forgotten past, nor my identity. The first time I had looked into those eyes, something strange happened inside of me. I suddenly felt… safe. With that kind, gentle gaze, I knew those eyes could be trusted.

That Len could be trusted.

I looked back at Len, who was looking out the window with a bored look on his face. I tilted my head to the side. He was a curious sort of character, with his angular face that could turn colors, wispy blonde hair tied into a small knot at the back. His blue eyes would always be the first thing that came to mind. I don't understand why, but when I looked into those eyes of his… I wanted to be lost in them forever.

"**Oh **no, Len-**kun."** (I also learned 'no' meant _no_) I heard Nami say, **"mommy had gotten bigger when she was pregnant with you, her tummy was all big and round, remember?"**

An annoyed puff escaped from Len. **"That was years ago, and you already lost the weight."** He answered, crossing his arms.

"**Please don't argue with mommy, Honey. She's driving now~~!"** The bright woman said in a sing-song voice.

"**But you've been talking this entire time." **Kaito murmured, knitting his eyebrows. Nami laughed, swerving the wheel to the left (which the machine's actions followed).

"**Now, now, you boys are just being silly. Just let mama Kagamine do her job and shop for the newest member of the family, alright?~"** The beauty said, her voice growing even sweeter with every pronounced word. For some reason, even if I couldn't understand what she was saying, a chill ran up my spine.

Len frowned, **"But-"** he started. The beauty suddenly turned, a crazy grin plastered on her face. Her brown eyes were flaring directly at him. He immediately stiffened, his face turning pale.

"**Lenny-kins, daaaah-ling~~ don't make mommy lose her temper, okay?~"**The blonde beauty said, her voice was calm and sweet but her expression, crazed. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Kaito's trembling fingers grasping the door handle. **"Because if you do…"**Nami's eyes suddenly darkened, her voice growing cold.

"… **Mommy's taking away the Xbox."**

No one spoke for the rest of the trip.

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**Kaito's POV**

"Heeeeere we are~~!" Nami squealed, throwing her arms dramatically in the air at the scene before us. I looked up at Rin, who rode piggyback on my shoulders since she didn't have shoes on (Nami hadn't bothered stopping for that cause). Len's T-shirt was a little too big for her, and the baggy basketball shorts weren't helping much either.

Rin was looking around with wide eyes, her jaw opened slightly.

Flashy colored boutiques and booths lined the wide halls of the giant mall, and there were people bustling about shouting prices, bargains, or other random conversation. It was a drastic change from the pleasant quietness at home, well, if you didn't count the massive battles over the Xbox between me and shota.

Jingle music echoed through the speakers and bounced off walls, colliding with other noises of children laughing along each other as they ran past. Lovesick couples giggled hand-in-hand, and protesting bargainers pushed each other angrily.

This is the mall. And apparently, Rin appeared greatly fascinated by all its sights and sounds as never seeing anything like it before.

"Like what you see, Rin?" I asked, nudging her playfully. She lowered her gaze, staring at me confusedly. I sighed, shifting her weight carefully. The fact she couldn't understand Japanese at a high degree sort of annoyed me. I followed after the squealing Nami who was over near the map stand. Len was beside me, who kept glancing up at the wide-eyed Rin now and then.

"I wonder if Meiko's working today…" I murmured to no one in particular.

Meiko is my best bud. We've been friends since kindergarten, first meeting at the tender ages of six and seven when she, with her signature devil-may-care smirk, so boldly pushed me off the swing, calling me 'Bakaito' and blowing raspberries at me. We got into a fist fight that lasted for 4 minutes until the recess teacher had to split us up. I managed to get away with a few bruises and a bloody nose while she had a black eye which recovered after about a week.

After spending the rest of entire afternoon in the principal's office, we somehow ended up as best friends.

The bossy six-year-old Meiko would drive me around the playground, hogging the best toys out of the sandbox and call me names. One thing I would always remember is her short, mean temper. If I got on her nerves (which was often) she'd immediately sock me. Her crazy antics really annoyed me back then, too. Oddly enough, by the end of the year, I was still her favorite playmate. There were times when she would verbally or physically abuse me, (sometimes both) but all in all, she was a good friend. I remembered the times she'd defend me from bullies, even when I didn't need the help.

I let myself sigh dramatically. Those were some pretty good days, compared to what she'd do to me now, the past six-year-old Meiko hadn't been so bad.

Now, in present time, it's the sixteen-year-old Meiko I'm worried about.

"Shota's lucky he only has an innocent chick like you in his hands to deal with." I muttered to Rin, who was still eying me in confusion. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Len raise an eyebrow at me.

"Boys! Rin-chan! Over here!" Nami shouted at us, making herself appear as an impatient child. I waved her off, heading towards the crazy lady known as my stepmother. Shota trailed alongside me.

"Wow! There's so many places to explore!" Nami exclaimed, clasping her hands together tightly. "Hmm… a place for girls' clothes." She ran a pink fingernail down the numbered list, murmuring to herself. A curious Rin attempted to bend down to see what the blond woman was doing. On my left, Len was still looking up at Rin, frowning. "Oh! We'll go to this one first, it's on the second floor, come on then!" Nami then dashed up the escalator, making me and Len groan as we followed after her.

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"Here! Try this one on! No wait, actually this one- No, no! This one too!"

By now, poor Rin was practically buried alive underneath the mountain of clothes Nami had caused. After managing to dig her out, the girl did her best to haul the massive load into the dressing room, her face contorted with concentrated effort.

Frustrated, she pulled the load as hard as she could before toppling over with a startled cry.

I chuckled to myself, for being shota's favored pet, I had to admit the girl was pretty darn cute.

"Rin!" I watched Len rush over with a worried look on his face, helping her up. My eyebrow raised at this.

It still surprised me how trusting Rin was of Len, allowing him to touch her without being suspicious or wary. Even after calming down from last night, I could tell she still didn't quite trust me, since showing reluctance of having to ride on top of me. Len didn't seem too happy about either. That had also got me thinking, which is something I normally don't do.

I let myself stare at the mysterious blond for a while.

Where did she come from? And why wasn't she included in the records? If she couldn't speak Japanese, then why was she in Japan in the first place?

And where were the parents for crying out loud? You don't just leave your kid out in the middle of the streets and let her starve or get raped by thugs, otherwise, you're either stupid or crazy.

My eyes narrowed into slits when I realized something about Rin.

Whenever you'd look at Rin, for some reason, she'd always appeared sad. When she'd cast you one of those blank stares of hers, appearing tired and confused. That blank expression on her face, her dull gaze, it was like her eyes were silently pleading for help.

As if she were lost.

Just who was this girl?

"Kaito?" Shota's voice interrupted, snapping me back into reality. He rose an eyebrow. "What's up?" Rin was also staring, her head tilted to the side. I inwardly flinched, finding myself staring back into her lonely, lost gaze.

"I'm fine." I answered quickly, turning away and walking back to one of the waiting chairs. I watched Nami practically shove Rin's small body into the dressing room, following in after her with bundles of outfits in her arms. I frowned, sighing. There wasn't anything else I could do at the moment, other than wait. Len sat in the other chair adjacent to me. A silence grew between us, which irritated me because I was bored.

"Shota." I thought aloud, just because I was so bored. At first, he jumped up, surprised, then he glared at me.

"You trying to pick a fight, Bakaito?" For a second, I flinched. Everyone knew I hated that nickname, but I somehow managed to keep my cool.

"Bakaito' is a conqueror of all shoutas alive, including his girly little brother." I retorted coolly, smirking when his jaw dropped open in surprise. If glares could kill, I'd so be lying dead on the floor now. Luckily, shota hadn't been born with that kind of power.

"Y-You!" Len immediately rose from his chair, his face red from anger and embarrassment. "That's it! You're going down!" He screamed before launching himself at me, causing the both of us to topple over and land on the floor.

We had gotten into a rather epic fist fight, I was winning of course, hanging him upside-down by his foot while our fists flew.

"Bwahaha! You are no match for me, you Shota!" I let out a boastful, triumphant laugh as shouta squirmed under my grip, growling in annoyance.

"Put me down, you moron!"

Well, that's how it continued until the door swung open.

"Here she is!" Nami's voice rang, causing the both of us to stop and look up. Rin was shying at the back of the small room, hiding in the shadows. Rolling her eyes with a smile, Nami pulled her out, "Now Rin-chan, don't be shy." She said, smiling. Turning to us, she said, "See? Doesn't she look cute~?"

Rin had on a short, frilly, patterned black and white dress with a yellow ribbon snaking around the neckline. She also wore black leggings and white go-go boots laced all the way to her knees.

Wow, I had to admit, the modern-day style really suited her. I glanced over to an upside-down shota. His mouth curved into an open 'o'.

"Oooh~!" Nami practically shrieked, jumping up and down excitedly. "That does it! I'm buying more! Mommy will be right back, kiddies. Be good!" With that, she dashed off to the nearest clerk, requesting for the best clothes they had.

The girl shifted under our shocked gazes, fiddling with the ends of her skirt.

"R-Rin…" She fumbled a bit, struggling to speak our language as best she could. "Rin… cute?" Huh. She's picking up words faster than I thought. I opened my mouth to comment, that is, until I saw the pathetic, speechless expresion on Len.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. It was hard to believe he had a lot of fan girls at school, being the shota he was, but in a situation like this, he couldn't give a girl a straightforward reply? No wonder his crush with the green pigtails never noticed him.

Heh... what a loser.

I realized I was still holding onto him, disgusted, I let go, causing him to yelp before landing on the hard ground.

Groaning, he rubbed the spot where it hurt, wincing. He suddenly glared up at me, "Hey! What the hell was that for?" I stepped away from him, emitting a shudder.

"Don't come near me, shotas are germy."

He scowled at me in annoyance, raising a face. "I take a shower everyday!"

"In any case, why haven't you said anything about Rin-chan 's outfit yet?" I suddenly said, in effort to draw attention away from myself.

"..!" Len's face shone bright as a strawberry, his glare intensified, "… Wh-wha-?"

"Go on, you still haven't said it yet." I said, holding my hands up in defense.

"Hey!… That's-!"

"Len." A small voice suddenly spoke up, we turned our heads. Rin had backed up against the door, staring at Len with innocence. Her turquoise eyes grew big, a slight blush shadowed her cheeks. Her entire body started to tremble.

"… Rin… not cute?"

Len suddenly shot up, rushing over to her. "N-No..! Th-that's not what I said!" His eyes were wide as saucers; he was trying to hide the fact he was panicking.

I clamped a hand over my mouth to stop the oncoming laughter that built up inside of me.

"Rin…!" Len groaned. "Please don't look at me like that!" He pleaded, appearing even more desperate when she hid her face behind her hands, starting to tremble. "Rin, please!" He grasped onto her shoulders, "Argh! Rin, _please_ don't cry…! You look cute, okay?"

Rin suddenly glanced up, reacting to the word 'cute', her eyes were watery, but she hadn't broken down into tears… _yet_.

"Rin… cute?" She uttered, looking slightly doubtful.

"Yes you're cute!" By now, Len was practically screaming, catching the attention of curious bystanders, "Rin looks cute! _You're _friggin' cute! You look so frickin' adorable someone might've taken off with you by now! There, I said it!"

"Whoa, what's happening over there?"

"Did he have a fight with his girlfriend?"

"That shouting was pretty loud, was there an argument?"

"Aww~~! That blond kid over there is so cute!"

I fought back the urge to gag at that last comment.

Len, panting and red-faced, was still grasping onto her shoulders. Rin, who looked surprised, stared at him for a few seconds before nodding slowly, as if understanding.

"Cute." Facepalm.

"Darlings, I'm back~!" Nami announced proudly, having all the wanted outfits and credit cards ready. She then noticed the flustered-looking Len, the innocently bewildered Rin, and my own self shaking with silent laughter.

Nami blinked.

"Ah? Did something happen?" She asked, pointing at the two blonds in confusion.

"Huh?" Len then turned to Rin, confused. "Wha-…" He then realized where his hands were. "A-ACK!" Blushing, he immediately moved away, shoving his hands into his pockets and hunching over. Embarrassment was written all over his face. Rin stared at him, and tilted her head to the side, innocently confused about his brash actions. A grin managed to itch onto my smug face.

Nami, apparently lost about the entire situation, looked over at Shota with a raised eyebrow. "… Len-kun? Is there something wrong?" She asked in that motherly, caring tone of hers, appearing concerned.

Len stiffened, shifting his gaze uncomfortably to the side. "No…"

Nami frowned, appearing doubtful. Her eyes flickered between the two blonds, her frown deepened. "Are you sure?" She asked again.

Another nod.

"Yeah..."

For a while, Nami still looked frowningly at her son, as if trying to uncover the truth. Then she sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "Okay," She turned to Rin, her expression changing, "Rin-chaaaan~! All the necessary outfits are accounted for~!" She held up all the bags, throwing them in my direction.

I stumbled to balance with the weight of the heavy clothes bulging from the white bags.

What the hell did the woman mean by 'necessary'? She practically cleaned up the entire store!

With a grunt of effort, I hoisted the giant bags over my shoulders. Just how much clothes did _one_ girl need?

"Ah~! I also found this on sale! Isn't it cute?" Nami thrust forward a long, silky white ribbon. Rin looked at it curiously, poking it to see what it would do. Smiling, the woman traveled behind her, gently gathering up her sunny blonde hair. She then tied the white material around her head, fastening it into a giant, floppy bow on the crown of her head.

Curious, the blond girl attempted to pull at one side of the bow. "… Eh.."

"Aw! Now she's perfect!" Nami let out a joyful, die-hard squeal. She then regained her composure, flashing us a bright smile. "Alright then everyone, we're done!" She announced proudly, "Now let's get some lunch!"

Groaning as I hauled the weight across the room, Len trudged past, stalking after his mom.

"Kaito!" I turned, seeing Rin rush over to me with arms wide open. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Len stop and turn around.

I quirked a brow at the girl, what did she want _me_ for?

"Up." She said, perching herself on her toes.

My brow arched higher, "Uh, well…" I scratched my head, frowning. "Look, Rin," I sighed, gesturing to the burden I was carrying for her, "all this I'm carrying, it's heavy. And if I carried you too, you'd just make my job even harder."

She stared.

"And besides, you already have shoes, right?" I gestured to her boots, "so-" My words came to an end. Big, turquoise eyes bore into me, silencing my speech. Instead of looking like Len's pampered puppy, she suddenly reminded me of one of those plush rabbits which were on sale at a toy store. Her bow flapped as she hopped up and down eagerly, like bunny ears.

I then realized my mistake.

Rin was no puppy, at least, not anymore. Instead, she had become shouta's pet rabbit with floppy bow-like ears. But, as cute as the kid was making herself look, there was no way she was going to make me carry her again so easily-

"Up! Up!" Rin pleaded, making her eyes grow big. "Kaito, up!"

"…"

Well, fuck.

Groaning, I adjusted the bags onto my arms, kneeling one on knee.

"Fine, get on." I grumbled, behind me, I heard a delighted squeal before a known object herself onto my back. Crinkling my forehead in effort, I somehow managed to stand, carrying both the bags and the girl.

Sighing, I began to walk out of the entrance. Len, who had been watched the entire scene, trailed beside me, frowning. "Why don't you put her down?." He asked, sounding indignant. "She has shoes on now."

Tossing a glance to shota, I grinned. "Are you jealous because you didn't get to be the one carry around your precious bunny-chan?"

"E-EH?"

I laughed, brushing him off as I hurried off to catch up with Nami. Above me, bunny-chan was hopping up and down, curiously looking back at a certain blonde who was chasing after me, shouting angrily. I laughed again, this time, Rin looked down at me, appearing confused. "Y'know, rabbit girl, you're not too bad after all." I commented, grinning at my recent triumph of getting shota all riled up.

Well, I was still concerned about Rin's identity and her whereabouts. But that fact could rest aside for now.

From what I could see, rabbit girl seemed perfectly harmless. Innocent and somewhat demanding, but harmless. "Rabbit..?" She pointed to herself, mildly confused. "Rin… rabbit?"

I grinned in response. "Correct, Rin is a rabbit." Tilting her head to the side, she then pointed to the other blond who dove past other people in effort to catch up.

"Len… shota?" My mouth dropped open in awe.

I think I was beginning to actually like this girl.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

This place… this 'mall'…

It was all so amazing!

I've never seen anything like it before, all these people, all the clothes, all the space!

Everything was so incredible!

I noticed Kaito kept calling me 'rabbit', which made me wonder. He also constantly called Len 'shota'.

What was a 'shota'? What did it mean? Whenever I heard that word being said from Kaito, Len's face would turn red and he'd immediately start shouting at him.

I frowned.

Surely Len did not like being called that, so why did Kaito keep calling him that? And why did he keep calling me 'rabbit'? Kaito used such strange words.

"**Hey **Kaito! **Is this the place where Meiko-nee works?"** My ears perked up at the sound of Len's voice. We entered a large, spacious area. The walls were covered in red and black tiles and strange music blasted throughout the room. People gathered around tables, others formed a line in front of different counters, shouting and making orders.

All sorts of aromas filled my nose, causing my mouth to water.

"**Yup, this is where she works, the snack area."**Kaito sighed, waving him off. **"Man… I'm **_**starving**_**."** He groaned, pulling out a brown, leathery object from his left pocket.

"This?" I asked, pointing at it.

Kaito glanced at me, chuckling. **"Wallet."** He answered.

"Wallet?" I repeated, brushing my fingers across its smooth surface. Another amused chuckle.

"**That's right, **wallet." He suddenly reached over, ruffling my hair.

"**Put her down now, **Kaito**-kun, and please buy her some ice cream while you're at it, **Len**-kun too."**Nami's voice flowed out like a sweet melody. Kaito gave a small pout before lifting me off his shoulders.

"**Can't **shota** spend his own money?"**

"**I forgot to bring some, sorry."**

"**Fine, fine."**

Kaito set me on the ground, allowing me to explore the surroundings. I turned to Len, who was eying me curiously. I tilted my head to the side.

"Kaito**-kun, **Len-**kun! I'll be doing some more shopping, just call my cell if you need me~! And keep an eye on **Rin**-chan!"** Nami waved at us before walking away, carrying her bag along. I stared after her, where was she going?

"**W****ill do, **Nami!** Have fun!" **Kaito waved back cheerfully, smiling. Turning to us, he grinned. **"Right then, let's get some ice cream, kids."**

"**You don't have to talk to us like we're five."** Len said, rolling his eyes.

"**Oi, oi, I'm the one who's treating you, so watch your tongue."**

"**And let you push me around? I'd rather starve."**

The two stood up against each other, glaring. I frowned, glancing at the both of them.

What were they saying now?

"Kaito! Len!" A slightly husky, feminine voice called out, causing our heads to turn. In the distance, a young woman pushing a white cart towards us, waved.

Both boys blinked.

"… **Meiko?" **Kaito and Len said in unison.

The woman, appearing to be in her late teens, strode over towards us. She looked extremely fit, with short red-brown hair and light brown eyes. She was about Kaito's age, almost reaching his height. I also noticed she was also dressed in a white apron and hat, holding up a curvy, metal tool of some sort.

"**Hello,"** The woman said, grinning, **"my two favorite boys in the world."** She shot Len a grin, **"How are ya, squirt?"**

I crinkled my nose in observation. She spoke the same language as well?

Len smiled, **"Everything's fine, thanks."** He then gave the woman a slightly bemused look, **"You work with ice cream, Meiko-nee?"**

"**Damn straight." **The woman replied with a smug grin, looking over to Kaito, **"I also happen to know the one person who's absolutely **_**blue**_** with envy, seeing my self entrusted with all the frozen treats."**

"**Ah yes," **A melodramatic sigh sounded from Kaito, **"seeing Mei-chan dance across the mall with that cart of precious treasure, it makes my blood run cold."**

**"You shut up."** The brown-haired woman rolled her eyes. She suddenly looked down, noticing me. I stared back curiously, cocking my head to the side. "**Oh? Who's this?"** The woman bent down, her face growing into a smile.

I flinched, backing up into Len, who smiled at me reassuringly. "**It's okay, **Rin**. Meiko-nee is a friend, she's really nice."**

I blinked, looking back at the smiling woman. "… Meiko-nee?" I asked, pointing at her.

Was that her name?

Len laughed, nodding. "**That's right, **Meiko-nee. **A friend.**" He assured me. For a moment, I stared, then walked back up to her.

"Rin." I said, pointing at myself. Meiko-nee smiled, her eyes laughing.

"**Is that your **name?" I recognized the word 'name.'

"Name… Rin." I said, struggling to speak their tongue.

Again, her eyes laughed.

"**Heh, you're a cutie, aren't you?"**Meiko-nee said, getting back up, she flashed Len a strange-looking grin, **"She your girlfriend, **Len**?"**

A light shade of pink colored his features, he stepped away, laughing nervously. **"Er, **n-no**. It's not like that at all, she's just a friend staying over at our house."**

"**To be more precise, **Rin**-kun happens to be shouta's pet **rabb**- Oof!"** Kaito managed to say before Len sent a swift kick to his stomach.

Meiko-nee quirked a brow at Kaito, appearing suspicious. **"Hm… well, I don't know what you were about to say, but I'm hoping it wasn't anything ridiculously obscene or perverted, **Kaito?"

A large drop of sweat appeared at the back of Kaito's head, smiling weakly, he raised up his hands in defense. "**N-Not at all, **Mei**-chan.." **Meiko-nee gave a small frown, then she sighed.

**"Whatever. Can I get you anything?"** She opened a small door at the top of her moving cart, holding out the metal tool.

Kaito's eyes lit up, **"O-Oh! Ice cream! I want some****!**" Meiko-nee laughed. Grabbing a cup, she dug into the cart, scooping something white and creamy-looking, dropping it into the cup. Curious, I moved forward, attempting to watch. After a few more scoops, Meiko-nee handed over the cup to Kaito, who eagerly swiped it from her hands.

"**Ice creeeeam! It's time to eat!"**Kaito immediately dug in, scooping up the creamy stuff with a spoon and shoveling it into his mouth. "**Mmmm…. Oh god, it's so good.."** His face melted with relaxed satisfaction.

Meiko-nee rolled her eyes, **"Oh stop it, you're embarrassing yourself."** She punched his arm, causing him to wince.

"**Ow! That wasn't nice, **Mei**-chan.."** Kaito said, pouting. The brown-haired girl attempted to scoff, but ended up smiling instead.

"**Ah, could **Rin** and I have some ice cream too? **Kaito's** paying for us."** Len spoke up, gesturing towards me.

"**Sure thing!"**Meiko then proceeded to scoop up the creamy stuff again, dropping it into a cup and handing it to Len.

"**Thanks."**

The brown-haired woman dove again, this time, handing me the cup of white creaminess. **"Here ya go, **Rin-**chan."**

I stared at it, silently taking the spoon. Looking over to Len, I saw him eating the creaminess. "This?" I asked him, he stopped, looking back at me. Then as if understanding, he pointed at his spoon and said;

"**Ice cream."**

I tilted my head to the side, glancing at it.

"Ice… cream?" I uttered softly, it sounded strange.

Len grinned, holding it out with his spoon, **"Yeah. Try it, it's good."** For a while, I stared at it. Its appearance was astonishingly thick and creamy, it smelled sweet.

Slowly, I opened my mouth, then, closed my mouth around his spoon.

Len looked shocked, **"**R-Rin! **I-I meant for you to use your own spoon..!"**

I was surprised. This 'ice cream', it tasted _cold _and surprisingly sweet. By the time it touched my tongue, it melted, just like ice.

Len groaned, giving me a slightly exasperated look. I looked up at him. He sighed, smiling and shaking his head. **"You're hopeless.."** I found myself looking into those blue eyes of his again, feeling my muscles relax.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Meiko and Kaito smirking, much to my wonder.

**"Ahem," **Meiko-nee started, closing the cart, **"I believe it's about time for me to get going."** Len suddenly blinked, appearing slightly disappointed.

"**Oh… okay then."** I stared after the brown-haired worker, was she planning to go?

"**See you."**Meiko winked at us, smiling. **"It was nice meeting you, **Rin-**chan."** She said to me, making me blink. Despite lacking the knowledge of what she just said, I simply nodded, which was hopefully the appropriate response. She laughed, turning to the others. **"Later boys, see you at school tomorrow."**

Kaito grinned, **"Yeah, see you."**

"**Bye **Meiko-nee." Len said.

Meiko laughed, walking, then stopped, smiling at me. She bent low, **"I have a feeling **_**Miku**_** is about to have competition real soon, watch your step."**She murmured in my ear, making sure Len or Kaito couldn't hear. I tilted my head to the side in confusion.

"**Bye!"** Smiling, she pushed her cart forward, disappearing around the corner.

I still couldn't understand their language, so I couldn't help but wonder what she had just. But I _had_ heard one strange word in particular that caught my attention.

Miku.

But what was a 'Miku'?

What did that word mean?

Sighing, Kaito glanced around, then, he paused, suddenly appearing excited. **"Whoa! The new 'Bioshock 3' game is out!" **He rushed over to a colorful ad, which was advertised in front of a store window.

"**Wooo! It's on sale right now! 45% discount for the first 20 customers sold!"**Kaito shouted, throwing his arms up in the air, whooping, **"Oh yeah! I'm going in, baby!"** He rushed through the entrance.

Len's eyes widened, **"O-Oi! Wait up!"** He then rushed in afterwards.

Realizing I was about to be left alone, I took a step forward and-

"**WAAAH!"** Startled by the cry, I spun around.

A small girl about the age of six with thick braids, was bending over a spilt mess, crying. A boy, appearing to be slightly older than her, looked as though he were desperately trying to console her.

"**My **ice cream**!"** The girl wailed, tears streaming down her face.

"**H-Hey, don't cry, Momo-chan…" **The boy pleaded, trying to calm her down.

"**Onii-chan! My **ice cream, **my** ice cream!" The girl wailed again, she then looked at the boy, eyes wide. **"Please onii-chan? **_**Please**_** say you'll buy me some new **ice cream**..? Please?.."**

The boy jolted, smiling nervously. **"… Er, I'm sorry, but I don't have anymore money-"**

"**WAAAAAH!"**

"**Aaah! **No**, **no**! Don't cry!"**

Wincing at the sudden outburst, I looked down at the untouched cup in my hands. I suddenly realized what the girl had just said.

… Ice cream?

I walked over, looking curiously at the two. Bending down, I stared at the little girl. Noticing I was there, she looked up, her sobs lowering into sniffles. Silently, I offered out my own cup of untouched ice cream.

The girl's eyes widened momentarily before she, with a happy smile, accepted it. **"Yummy~! Thank you! Thank you!"** She said before digging in, smiling.

A strange sensation fluttered in my chest, it felt warm and light.

The boy, who'd consoled the little girl, sighed in relief, turning to me with a grateful smile. **"Thank you, onee-chan."** He bowed to me deeply, expressing gratitude. Turning to the girl, he said, **"Okay Momo-chan, let's go now."**

The girl giggled, nodding. **"Okay!"** The boy, smiling, took her hand in his and walked off in the other direction. As they walked, the little girl turned her shoulder, flashing me a bright smile. **"Bye-bye, onee-chan!"** Giggling, she turned around again, chatting with the boy. I stared after them for a while, watching them laugh. Then my feet carried me into a quiet, isolated location.

Was that what it was like to be 'happy'? To hold hands with someone you treasure so dearly?

To smile?

My thoughts then came to Len, causing my eyes to widen slightly.

Len's smiles.

Len's happiness

His family.

Whenever he was around them, he would often show many expressions. When smiling, laughing, or that other emotion…. Annoyance? Well, he certainly directed a lot of it towards Kaito, but he still seemed to care for him.

An emotional person… with a lot of faces. Len was that kind of person, wasn't he?

I frowned, turning away. Even with emotions, it was all new to me. Everything was new to me, from people to 'feelings'.

Emotions?

I found myself walking out of the plaza, wandering to a more isolated part of this mall. Everything was quiet, and I hardly saw people pass by, and not even the music was playing.

I wasn't entirely sure how to 'feel' about them. There were so many I didn't know the names to… I only knew a certain few, but even these feelings were brand new to me. I didn't know how to smile, I _couldn't_.

What was it like to be happy? To know who you were and to be surrounded by the comfort of loved ones?

I bit my lip, groaning silently.

Who was I?

Where were _my_ loved ones?

_My_ happiness?

_My_ smiles?

As I struggled to remember, a sharp, piercing pain traveled to my head, causing me to clutch my head.

What was this… pain? Why did it hurt _so _much?

Everything felt empty inside of me. Dark, painful, and corrupted. My own self reflected the color of black.

Black.

Mysterious, dark, and terrifying.

Just like I was.

"**Well, well, what do we have here?"** A deep, scratchy voice said behind me, gasping, I turned around.

Behind me were three burly, tough-looking men who smelt of rotten garbage, the one in the front, presumingly the leader, looked down and smiled, revealing yellow teeth through a grizzly brown beard.

**"Heh, she's a cutie, eh?"**One of the other men sniggered.

My eyes narrowed. For some reason, these people looked like bad trouble. I started to dash towards the store Len and Kaito were in-

**"Going somewhere?"** Someone grabbed my arm, roughly. Gasping, I opened my mouth and screamed, only to have myself gagged.

**"Hur hur hur, she has some pretty good screams.." **I was suddenly hauled up, being roughly thrown over a broad shoulder.

I came face-to-face with the other two men, who sneered.

The other man, who was shorter and slightly stockier, grinned evilly at me, grabbing my head and ripping away the white bow which tied up my hair, gasping, I could only watch helplessly as it fluttered to the ground.

My eyes widened in terror.

T-Trapped.

**"Let's go somewhere else quiet, cutie-pie." **The chubby thug said, stroking my cheek, causing me to flinch away from fear.

**"We like your screams."**

The black rabbit had been caught.

* * *

Oh nooo! What's going to happen to Rin? T_T

(Laughs) Well, you'll have to wait for chapter six and find out for yourself!

But anyway, WOO! Over 8,000 words and 1000 hits! XD

_Mutti- _Means 'mother' in German, in case you were all wondering. (Remember, Rin had been raised in Germany, even despite being cut off from a normal teenage life most of her life.)

**fujingodofwind- **Why thank you, I know I am. LOL. Thanks for reviewing, dearest bystander! **WanderingSoulofTime- **Ahahaha, thanks! So, Kaito's a lot like your brother eh? He must be a lot of work then. (Laughs) Keep working on your story! I bet it has tons of hits by now! **lycaonvulpes- **(laughs) Yup, you're right! Poor, poor Len… but I just can't find it in my heart to end his suffering. **XD** I know, I'm bad, right? Thanks for reviewing! **Chikanpo- **Yeah… I hope so too, Bluejay's household issues are driving me up the wall. **T_T **(Laughs) Well, thanks so much for reviewing! I hope the Vocaloid company will make chibi Lens in the future. LOL. **Skye Wolfe- **(Grins) Oh no, don't be fooled by Rin's seemingly sugary, innocent appearance, when it comes to tugging at Len's hormones, she's really doing it on purpose. **XD **I'm kidding, but I do agree with you, Rin's a cutie. But I LOVE writing in Kaito's view, he's one of my favorites. His natural, perverted sense of humor, it's irresistible. I'm pretty sure EVERYONE will look forward to what he has to say, at least… in this story. **XD **And Len… well, he's pretty darn adorable too, then again, he's always been adorable. **XD **Thanks for reviewing! **Goose- **(Laughs) Has everyone fallen to the mighty puppy-dog cuteness of Rin's image? That's probably happened by now, though. LOL, you and Moose are fit to be twins, having your names harmonize each other like that. You're both pretty funny, it'd be nice if you could meet each other sometime. Thanks for reviewing! **Moose- **Heh heh, I'm starting to think you and Goose could be long lost twins separated at birth. Yup, I liked the orange scene too, it gave me the giggles. **:D **And the man? Well… you're just going to have to read and find out for yourself! **;D **Thanks for reviewing! **ilooovejirachi- **Hey! I love Jirachi too! He was so cute in the movie! **XD **Well, the Pokemon anime used to be awesome anyway, that is, until Misty got kicked out of the group. (Laughs) I agree, shouta Len rules! ^^ **AnimaniacXOX- **(Laughs) Yup, yup, Rin's SO cute when she has no idea what's going on, I almost feel bad for Len. **XD** But they do make an awesome couple, it makes me sick when people refer to them as 'siblings.' I mean, seriously! They're mirror images, people! Anyway, thanks for reviewing! **XD ****Bluejay92- **(Smiles) Thank you! To be honest though, I've been trying to capture Rin's 'bunny' image, but for some reason, she prefers being a puppy. **XD** Oh well, it doesn't really matter.(Laughs) You have been revealed to the true side of Kaito's evil hilarity, so beware. **O_O **You like Neru but dislike Miku?… Well, I think Neru's version of 'World is Mine' sucks, her voice is way too high and squeaky, it hurt my ears. Miku's fine with me most of the time, as long as she isn't hogging Len away from Rin or any of us fan girls. **XP** But I do like her version of 'Melt', it's really cute. **XD ****Lria- **(Laughs) I personally LOVE dogs, they're loyal, hilarious, lovable, cute… who could possibly hate them? **XD**But, I'm glad you like Rin so far. Anyway… WILL YOU MARRY ME? **XD ****A- **More, you say? Here's chapter 5 then! ^^ Thanks for reviewing! **Shadow Fox777- **You just realized that now? **XD** Thanks for reviewing! **Enilec- **(Blushes) Th-thank you… I-I personally don't view myself in such high standards though, I'm only 13 and I still have trouble with writing from time to time, even though it's one of my favorite hobbies. (Sighs) But thank you so much for reviewing, I hope you'll keep giving me advice! **orangesky3- **Ah wonderful, one of my favorite reviewers has caught on! Yup, Dell sure makes his position in the story pretty suspicious, huh? (Laughs) Don't worry about Kaito, he may be an idiot, but he's still an awesome idiot. **XD**For now, when it comes to Kaito, I'd be more worried about his relationship with Meiko. LOL. Thanks for reviewing!**Miko A. Kimura- **Down girl! The chapter's up, so you can re-read it over and over again as much as you'd like! **LOL**. And what about YOU? You still haven't updated the epilogue for your story! **Marena Kyoki- O_O** O-Oh my… um… well… I humbly salute your enthusiasm, er, thank you for reviewing… **Bubblycutie- **(Laughs) That's another interesting way to put it, I suppose. I wouldn't really see Rin as a 'baby' though, her brain isn't exactly like a sponge.

Once again, thank you all so much!

And again, seriously, review us guys, I know you're all out there. REVIEW, or else Rin will never escape those thugs. Let's try to reach at 64 reviews... XD

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	6. First Signs

A/N: Hey, Bluejay92 here. My first chappie in the story~! Sorry for the wait. ^^

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHIIO-CHAN!~~

Thanks for reviewing;

**fujingodofwind, SecretMirage, Enilec, OnigiRimi, Hikari no Destany, Shadow Fox777, ilooovejirachi, Miko A. Kimura, SeacatTopaz, SuperCrazedKITTY, Lria, Mizuki Kagamine, AnimaniacXOX, kiyoshi sora ando, I forgot my Password, WanderingSoulofTime, twins; Goose and Moose, Chikanpo, and Mr. 99!~~**

Thanks a bunch!

Also:

_Italics_: The language of _German, _panicking, thoughts.

**Bold**: Stands for the language of **Japanese**, which Rin does not speak.

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 6**

_**First Signs**_

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**Len's POV**

I waited by the X-box games as Kaito happily paid for his new game. He rushed over with it, eager to get home and play it. We walked out of the store to look around the mall some more. We headed back to the snack area where Meiko works, Kaito babbling on about the game and me ignoring him. Suddenly, I saw something bright white in my peripheral vision. I turned to the side and saw...Rin's bow? How did it end up on the floor out here? I picked it up and put it in my pocket.

Then, I froze.

Wait...where was Rin?

I spun around wildly, looking for any sign of a blond-haired girl. There was no sign of her.

Oh god oh god oh god. Rin's gone…! Where did she go? Oh no... I should have been paying attention.

I whipped around to Kaito. "Where's Rin?" I demanded.

Kaito shrugged. "I dunno. I thought she was in the game store with us." He looked around himself, the relaxed expression on his face disappeared. "… She's gone?"

My eyes widened, "Shit… We need to find her!"

Kaito smirked. "Figures you'd be so worried about your little bunny-ch-" he was cut off as I elbowed him in the stomach.

"Shut up, this is no time for that." I snapped, "Okay, we last saw her when you ran into the game store, right?"

Kaito nodded.

"So the logical thing to do would be to look there first," I said, attempting to calm down.

"Fine, fine, we'll look." He heaved a sigh, pulling up the heavy bags of clothes for Rin.

We marched back to the store. I looked behind display cases, behind the racks of games, and even in a couple large boxes. No Rin.

I stalked up to the counter. "Excuse me," I said to the employee, "Have you seen a girl with short blonde hair, blue eyes, who's about my size, and can't speak Japanese very well?"

The slightly chubby employee pushed his glasses up his nose and shrugged. "We get a lot of customers, sir. I can't take the time to remember every single one."

"Are you sure you haven't seen her?" I pleaded.

"Yes."

I sighed and pulled my cellphone from my pocket, flipped it open, and dialed mom's number. "Hello~? This is Nami Kagamine, how may I help you?" Her voice rang politely over the receiver.

I took a deep breath. "Mom-"

"Kyaaaaa~! Len-kuuuun!" This time, I had to pull the phone away from my ear to avoid her sudden scream.

"Honey~ Darling~! How's everything, sweetie? Are you doing okay? Do you need mommy to meet you somewh-"

"Have you seen Rin?" I got right to the point.

"… Ah?" Mom sounded confused.

"Have. You. Seen. Rin?" I repeated the question carefully.

"Uh... no, I haven't, honey…" Mom answered, sounding even more confused. "Wasn't she with you and Kaito-kun?" Her tone now sounded concerned.

"Yeah, but we can't find her," I said wearily.

A brief silence.

"Did you keep an eye on her?"

At that question, my voice got caught in my throat.

"…"

"_You DIDN'T?" _I cringed at the sudden outburst.

"Mom-"

"_Len-kun_!" Mom groaned, sounding exasperated. "Didn't I just tell you earlier to watch her? She could get lost! And the mall can be very dangerous!"

A surge of guilt passed through me. Great. Just peachy, by now, Rin was probably wandering around helplessly for all I knew. And it was all because of me, all because I hadn't been watching her. A groan escaped from me as I fell back against the wall, clutching my forehead. I think I was going to have a headache.

"But I had only looked away for a moment…!" I protested wearily, feeling defeated.

I couldn't believe it. Rin had vanished without even telling us? But why? _How? _She had been following us the entire time.

Mom took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Okay, hon…" She started, sighing, "as I recall, Kaito was supposed to be watching her too, so don't act like this is _entirely_ your fault. For now, just meet me at the snack area and we'll all look together, alright?"

I quickly thanked her and hung up. "C'mon, Kaito, she's not in here. Let's go to the snack area," I stated, practically having to drag him off.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

The man that carried me held me tightly to his shoulder, making it a bit harder for me to breath. I tried to push myself up a little to loosen his grip, but he only squeezed me tighter. I whimpered quietly, my eyes watering a bit from the pain. "**Shut up**," The shorter man growled, and slapped my cheek really hard. I yelped in pain, my vision going blurry from the tears building up in my eyes.

We continued traveling down the narrow back streets, no one around to witness my suffering. Finally, we arrived at a dark, narrow alleyway, empty except for a smelly old dumpster and a few boxes covered in a strange fuzzy green substance. The man threw me down on the cold, hard pavement, and I squeaked as my body made contact with the ground. I curled up in a ball and tried to scoot behind the dumpster. The big, hairy thug landed a hard kick to my stomach, and the breath was knocked out of me.

I lay there on the ground, water involuntarily spilling from my eyes and rolling down my cheeks from the agony.

The thugs surrounded me in a circle, chuckling.

Where was Len? And Kaito?

The chubby one pulled out a sharp blade and came towards me, sniggering in a scratchy, malice-filled voice. I cringed in terror, thinking of the pain that surely awaited me. He plopped down next to me and grabbed my right wrist. I tried to tug it away, but I was slapped again. He drew the blade cleanly across my wrist, and watched as the blood dripped down.

The sting of cool air blew against the open wound, causing me to shiver. The chubby thug licked the blood off, making me wince as it stung even more.

Then, the men were gone.

_Before me was the silhouette of a man, screaming in pain as blood dripped from his mouth and eyes._

"_HELP ME!" _

Again the thugs appeared in front of me. I jumped. What was that? Some kind of... dream?

The leader with the grizzly brown beard pushed the other thug aside. "**It's my turn now...**" he said hungrily. Pulling me up by my hair, I let out a cry that was muffled by the gag. The leader punched me in the eye. Tears streaming down my face.

The men disappeared again. My vision disappearing along with them.

All around me was pitch-black darkness. I began to panic. Why couldn't I see?

_A scream pierced the silence, full of agony and fear. _"_No! NO! PLEASE DON- NOOOO!"_

I could now see again. The leader had dropped me, and was getting ready to land another blow. My eyes widened, inside of me, something hammered against my chest, causing me to tremble with each beat.

What was this madness?

"L... Len.." I uttered, tears continuing to spill. Where was he? Why didn't he come?

He squeezed my neck hard. I screamed loudly in anguish. The man smiled as I screamed. His hairy lip brushed my ear as he whispered, "**Scream more for me, little girl**."

_Everything dissolved and in front of me was a silhouette of a woman. Suddenly, another figure appeared behind her and stabbed her in the back. __She screamed as the life drained out of her._

_That scream, it was full of so many unfamiliar emotions._

I was back in the alley. Now I was starting to panic.

What was happening? What did I keep seeing? What were all these horrible events?

Was I going insane?

Was I dying?

_What was wrong with me?_

The man eagerly tugged at my dress. It slid slowly off. My eyes widened, and my entire body started to tremble. His rough hands roamed across my bare legs, traveling up my thighs.

No…!

The others behind him chuckled, licking their dry lips with a strange emotion coursing through their eyes, **"We caught a good one, huh, boss?**

The way they were touching me…

It was _disgusting._

"**Heh, heh… yeah, this one's a real beauty."**The large man stroked my hair, grinning widely.

I began to thrash around and lunge out, screaming in my language. "_Don't touch me!" _I screamed, kicking and failing. "_Get away from me!"_ I managed to land a kick against the man's stomach, making him to groan in surprise.

"**Urgh!"**The man now glared at me, eyes flaming with rage. **"W-Why you little!"**He roared, standing up tall now. My eyes widened in terror as I saw him raise a hand, he was going to hit me again.

"_D-Don't…" _I uttered, everything froze inside of me, images of blood flashed across my mind, staring at the man wide-eyed in terror. "_Don't be mad!" _I begged, water spilling from my eyes. Blood dripped from my mouth as I continued to plead. _"Don't be mad...! I'm sorry! I'm sor-"_

"_Daddy, no!"_

I gasped.

"_Don't be mad! Don't get mad at me…! I'm sorry! PAPA..!"_

With a balled-up fist, the man sneered at me.

"**Bitch, I'll show you what real pain is."**

With the lackeys laughing at his side, the leader brought his fist down hard onto my head.

Once his fist came in contact with my head, an unimaginable agony beyond words, split inside my head. "... A- Aaaah.." I sank to the ground, finding no energy in my throat to scream out. A ringing sound started to ring faintly in my ears. Cruel laughter enveloped me, their sneering glares looked down upon me.

The ringing grew louder.

"**Aw, she couldn't even take that blow?"**My vision grew blurry, but I recognized the voice as the chubby thug's. **"That's no fun."**Afterwards, the sound of malicious laughter echoed. By now, the ringing inside of my ears was so loud, it drowned out other noises. Again, the men disappeared.

_A woman with long, blonde, beautiful hair stood before me, a trailing white dress flowing around her and spreading around her feet. As I got a better look at her, I froze. _

_She… had no face..!_

_Horror enveloped my entire being as blobs of red liquid ran down the side of her head._

_Panting uncontrollably, I then noticed something cold and wet on my hands, I looked down. _

_Blood._

_My hands were soaked in blood, its cold, slimy liquid coursed against my skin…_

_Filthy…_

_It felt **filthy.**_

_A laugh escaped from the faceless woman, causing me to glance up. Her laugh wasn't pleasant, nor was it from relief. __But it was a cold, accusing laugh… of hatred._

_My eyes widened, and my entire body trembled uncontrollably. I tried backing away, only to find myself unable to move._

The men returned, still laughing cruelly in my ears. Images of blood, murder, and the faceless woman scattered across my mind, causing me to flinch again. Desperate to have everyone stop, I clutched my head, covering my ears.

Stop…! Make it stop..!

Pain flashed all around me, I let out a choked gasp.

Stop! Stop it!

Then, an image of the faceless woman flashed briefly before me.

_In a soft, soothing tone, her invisible lips formed two words;_

"_Wake up."_

Digging my fingers into my head, trying to distract the pain with all my might.

"L... en.." Tears flooded from my wide, crazed eyes, an image of kind blue eyes flashed across my mind.

Why...?

Why did you go?

Why did you leave me alone?

Another pain traveled up my spine, splitting my head. "Aaah...!" I squeezed my eyes shut, panting. "A- Aaahaaa...!" Then, something snapped inside me.

_"AAAAAHAAAH!"_

I suddenly stopped screaming and became calm as a robotic, metallic voice sounded;

_"VOCALOID MODE: ACTIVATED."_

My eyes snapped open.

"_...!"_

Everything around me went white.

* * *

**Len's POV**

We made our way back to the snack area, looking around for mom, as well as a sign of Rin. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Meiko, who was now working behind a food stand, serving burgers and fries to an overweight customer.

"Meiko-nee!" I called out, pulling along Kaito by the skirt of his long jacket. She looked up, a smile brightened up on her face.

"Heya!" Meiko greeted, looking happy to see us. "What are you boys doing back here again?"

"Have you seen Rin? We can't find her anywhere." I said anxiously.

"Nah. Haven't seen her since you guys left here," she replied. I let out a frustrated groan, banging my head against the counter.

"You really haven't seen her wander back here? This is the only place she knows." Kaito finally spoke up, shifting the weight of the bags on his shoulders.

Meiko sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "Sorry, but no."

"Excuse me, is there a problem?" A short, rounded man suddenly appeared behind Meiko, a tag labeled 'Manager' was pinned on the front of his shirt.

"Oh… sir!" Meiko immediately stepped to the side, allowing the short man to step forth. "A girl has gone missing from the mall," Meiko said. "These two came to ask if I'd seen her."

The manager looked surprised. "Missing? Have you thought to tell the security guards?"

"We haven't yet, sir. They just discovered she was gone."

"Well, then. If you two will describe her for me, I'll go notify the security gaurds for you."

"Thank you so much, sir," Meiko bowed, relieved.

"Don't mention it. Now, what does this girl look like?" The chubby man asked.

Kaito answered him, "Short blond hair, blue eyes, a bit shy, and is around his-" he poked me- "height, wearing a black and white dress, she sucks at Japanese, and her name is 'Rin', whichi she responds to." The manager nodded and started out to where two security guards were stationed.

"Please, Mei-nee, can you help us look for her?" I was almost begging her.

"Sure, sure. I'll help you find little Rinny-chan." She grinned and whispered in Kaito's ear, "I expect payment later." She winked at him.

Mom finally got here, appearing slightly out of breath as if she'd ran the whole way. She hugged me so tightly I could barely breath. "Len-kun, ready to search?" she asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be. Let's go downstairs first! If we don't find her there, we'll search the parking lot, and then the city." I commanded, taking off down the stairs. The others followed. We began our search, looking in all the stores.

I'm so worried about Rin. If she got hurt because I wasn't paying attention, I don't know if I could live with myself. Somehow, I felt kind of protective of her.

It was weird.

I always was jittery and nervous around girls. I'm always nicer to them, though, which I never knew why. Mom's always been raising me to be well-mannered to everyone, which is hard at times.

But Rin... she's like the sister I never had. Sweet, innocent, and you could never stay angry at her...

We have to find her.

* * *

**General POV**

The first guard nodded as the manager finished describing Rin. "We'll pass the information on to the police and get them to help search," he informed him.

The manager then paused, looking concerned. This did not go unoticed by the guard.

"Sir? Is something wrong?" The man cast the guard a slight frown of worry.

"You don't suppose... _those_ men have her, do you?" The guard cringed, fully aware of what he was talking about.

"I don't know. Let's just not hope for the worst." The two guards called the police station and repeated the description and location. The police sent a squad car with a team of search dogs to help find her. As the squad arrived, Len handed them Rin's bow so the dogs could catch her scent. They set off into the city streets.

* * *

**Len's POV**

Damn this!

Where could Rin have gone? She's probably lying around injured, or lost, or even...even... _dead?_

Argh! No, Len! Now is not the time to assume the worst of things!

But we had no success in the whole mall, or even in the parking lot. We're having to search the city streets, the police squad helping. We've already been through half the city, but she couldn't have gotten THAT far, could she?

We neared a dark alley way that smelled slightly of mold. The group of German Shepard search dogs suddenly put their noses to the ground and sniffed, jerking ahead to the entrance of the alleyway and barking like crazy. We followed them, and when we reached the alleyway, I froze at the sight before me. Laying on the ground were three thugs, looking half-dead, obviously badly injured, and blood-spattered. Blood splatters were also scattered across the brick walls and gray cement of the alley.

"Oh... god..." Meiko uttered, looking around wide-eyed. The others, including myself, were shocked speechless as well. The dogs ran towards a dumpster at the back, barking frantically and lunging on the leash. As we came around the corner of it, we saw something we hadn't expected to see.

"Rin...?" I managed to say.

"..."

Rin, the girl who I had come to refer as an unofficial sister, sat in the midst of it all, half-naked and hands drenched in blood. Blond hair was messily thrown over her head, scratches and bruises covered her from head to toe.

"Rin?" I said, a little louder. This time, her gaze slowly trailed to me. Instead of her usual innocently curious look, her face was currently void of all emotion. And her eyes... were dull and broken. She then glanced back down, avoiding my shocked gaze.

My eyes widened, a wave of hurt and regret washing over me.

Why wouldn't she look at me?

Rin quietly continued to clutch her head in silent torment, shivering. I felt my teeth grit at her current state. I clenched both of my fists.

Who the _hell_ did this to her?

My solution came to the burly-looking men sprawled across the ground.

But then, why were _they _the ones appearing half-dead instead of Rin? Not that I preferred it that way, I assure you, but still.

Mom reached out to Rin, appearing horrified. "Rin-chan! Who did this to you?" Rin's eyes widened, and she backed away from her. She looked baffled. "S-Sweetie?... Don't you remember me?" Rin gave no response, except for a shivering stare.

Kaito, swallowing his pride, made his way over to her. "Come on, Rin, it's only us. We're not gonna hurt you." Rin's eyes widened even further, trembling all the hardest. She crawled even farther away from us, looking like a frightened animal.

Meiko cast Rin a pained glance as she too, reached out to her. "Rin-chan?" She started in a shaking voice, "Come on. What's wrong?" Still, she wouldn't let herself be touched, curling up into a tight ball, rejecting everyone to come near her.

Mom attempted to reach out to her again, "Rin-chan? Why won't you talk to us, honey?" Just before she could touch her, Rin shook her head violently, backing up against the wall in fright.

"Ma'am, we're going to have to provide her to the relief team if she continues to resist your advances." One of the police trackers informed mom, frowning.

"W... What?" Mom's eyes widened, "B-But that just won't do! Rin-chan can't stand strangers! I-I... Please!" The tracker shook his head.

"I'm very sorry, but I can't help you there. If the girl resists again, she'll simply be put in-"

"Let me try."

Everyone turned, surprised at the person who just spoke.

That person was me.

"Len-kun?"

"I'll do it." I said again, making myself look firm on that decision.

"Honey..." Mom's eyes softened, leaning over and brushing the bangs from my eyes.

"Let me try, mom." I insisted, "I know she probably isn't in the state to be touched..." I then looked over at Rin, my heart wrenching at her state. "But _please_ let me try! It's my fault she won't even look at me, and-" I stopped, it then hit me.

Rin wouldn't touch anyone, she wouldn't look at them, even me... because...

"I let her down..."

Rin had trusted me, feeling sure that she was safe with me, that she wouldn't get hurt. But I hadn't been watching her and allowed her to get hurt, beaten, and practically open for death.

Everyone stared at me, dumbfounded.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rin writhe against the wall in silent pain, shivering.

"... Alright." Mom finally said, gently turning towards Rin. "Try talking to her then." I was surprised. I had actually been given the turn to console Rin, despite the slim chance she would even _listen_ to me. Taking a deep, breath, I approached cautiously. My footsteps treaded lightly, but Rin somehow managed to sense my approach, perking up. Inhaling sharply, I slowly crawled down to her level, on my knees. Her blue eyes were _stormy_, just like that night when we had first met.

"Rin." At the sound of my voice, Rin immediately flinched, I grit my teeth.

She was afraid of me... _again_.

Before Rin, anyone, or even I, could blink, my arms quickly found themselves wrapped tightly around her.

"...!" Rin was surprised at first, weakly struggling to squirm away before I spoke:

"I'm sorry."

Rin stopped, her entire body froze in shock and confusion, I took this advantage to secure my hold on her, burying my chin in her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry..." I whispered, holding her small, injured body closer to mine, ignoring the fact that she smelt faintly of blood. "For letting this happen, for letting them hurt you. This is my fault." I murmured, guilt weighing down my shoulders. "But I'll never leave you again. I swear it, Rin. From now on, I'll be the one to protect you." For a moment, no one spoke. Then, Rin started to shiver again. Slowly, she melted into my embrace, her hands grasping the green material of my jacket.

"Len..." Her shaky voice broke the silence, her whole body trembling.

"Shh." I shushed her gently, "Don't cry... it's okay."

"Len stay...!" A hiccup escaped from her, she clung to me even tighter. "Stay! Stay, Len!"

"It's alright." I murmured, rubbing her back comfortingly, "I'm here."

And at that point, she broke down, and began sobbing on my shoulder.

"_Stay_!" She gasped out, grasping my jacket, "_Stay Len, stay!"_

Gritting my teeth, I held her close protectively, I could just barely refrain myself from killing those thugs who hurt her as I glanced back at their half-dead bodies.

At that time, I _knew_.

From now on, I was going to protect Rin.

No matter what.

* * *

The police handed me her bow again before they went back to their squad car and used the built-in car phone to call an ambulance. They opened the back door and the search dogs leaped back in and settled down on the seats. As the paramedics arrived, they gaped at the scene before them. One of them ran out into the street, shouting and pointing. Soon, a fairly large crowd of people had gathered, chattering loudly.

The thugs were lifted up into the ambulance, the crowd looking on in amazement.

Soon, a couple reporters showed up and began asking questions. The only logical explanation was that Rin had somehow managed to overpower and beat up the thugs. "My goodness, a little girl like Rin couldn't possibly pull of something like that!" My usually cheerful Mom said to a reporter in a stressed tone.

"Ma'am, do you have any other explanation?" The reporter asked, scribbling on his small notebook. "This will make a good cover story. A little fourteen-year-old girl beating up the three most wanted and elusive rapists in all of Japan. I'll get paid good for this," he added sneakily.

Mom let out an indignant puff. "Now wait a minute, who said she was fourteen?" The reporter rose an brow.

"You said that twin of hers was, so aren't they the same age?"

"But they're not related!" Rin only stared at the two with curious eyes, hovering close to me.

"Hey, Rin?" The blond girl turned to me, curious. Smiling slightly, I pulled out the white material I had been keeping inside my pocket, displaying it to her. "You dropped this." I informed, gently re-fastening the bow on top of her head. Rin tugged at one side of it, blank-faced. But from what I could tell, I bet she was pretty happy to have it back.

I chuckled lightly, giving her head a light pat. "You're welcome." For about the next ten minutes, Mom and the reporter argued over whether Rin should be in the news or not. Finally having enough of the verbal battle, I just grabbed her arm and pulled her over to the squad car.

"Excuse me, officers, would you mind giving us a ride home?" Mom asked sweetly. They agreed, and she told them our address. Their eyes widened.

"You're _the _Nami Kagamine, former top model of the Paris Collections?" My mom only laughed, brushing off their surprised expressions.

"Now, now, don't look so surprised! I quit that job 14 years ago when I was pregnant with my baby here~!" Mom gestured over to me, giving another me cuddly love shower despite my protests.

"You mean your twins, including the girl, right?" The reporter cut in, scribbling notes.

Mom groaned, putting a hand against her forehead. "For the last time, Len-kun and Rin-chan are not twins!"

"Right, they're _identical_ twins, gotcha."

"ARGH!" After a lot of coaxing, I finally managed to get her to climb in, but on the condition if she had me sitting next to her and resting on my lap, she was exhausted. First, Meiko was dropped off at the mall again, and then we headed home. As we rode home, Rin had fallen asleep on my lap, recently rolling over again. Sighing, I adjusted her position properly so she wouldn't fall over.

The towel which was tightly securing Rin, suddenly unfolded, revealing her pale back. Embarrassed, I grabbed the end of the towel, hurrying to conceal the bare sight. As I was about to refold the towel over her back, I noticed something strange.

Right between the space of her shoulder blades, a small, metal circle was there, appearing to have attached itself onto Rin. Curious, I leaned closer to have a better look.

_"VOCALOID"_

The small inscription read, I rose a brow.

VOCALOID?

What could it be?

* * *

A/N: Sorry it took so long! I hope you enjoyed it. Big thanks to Chiio-chan for her help with editing it, and giving suggestions. (Also, Happy Birthday, Chiio!)

Please review.. PLEASE? *puppy eyes*

First time... anything needs work?


	7. Enslaved

**Disclaimer: ... *Cries***

**I shall bestow a very special thanks to Bluejay92 for putting humungous effort into chapter six! Great job, partner!**

**I've started a live popularity poll for **_"Project: VOCALOID"_** on my profile~! Be sure to drop by and vote who YOUR favorite characters are! Popularity results will be revealed later on in the story~! **

**Here's chapter 7! Please take care to read, review, re-read, and give out any necessary advice. Constructive criticism is welcome here as well!**

**Bold: **Stands for **Japanese**, the nightmare of all languages for Rin.

_Italics: _Stands for German, insane yelling, and trance-like dreams/flashbacks.

Enjoy~!

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 7**

_**Enslaved**_

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**Rin's POV**

"… _I'm…"_

…

_Whose voice was that?_

"_So…-… -rry.."_

_It sounded soft and faint, like a piece of fragile music with broken words._

"…_sor-… I'm-.."_

_Yet, just somehow…_

"_I'm-…"_

_It was melancholic, almost __**sad**__._

"_I__…"_

_Something warm and wet dropped on the side of my face, running down my left cheek._

_I slowly opened my eyes, glancing around to observe the surroundings. I sat up, looking around._

_There were flowers of the purest of white, their heavenly scent filled my nose. I then discovered I was laying in a giant heap of them, its soft petals cushioning every part of my body like a giant bed._

_For a moment, I felt strangely disappointed at the fact I had been crushing the delicate beauty under my weight, for something so meager as a few minutes of rest._

_Everywhere, it seemed like a floral fantasy. I inhaled the soft, yet sweet scent of roses, feeling at a strange peace. White petals fluttered all around me, appearing to have rained down from an endless ceiling._

_But where was I?_

_Flowers… the purest of white._

_And a vast garden… just like from my other dream…_

_It all seemed so familiar._

_Or could it be… that this was another dream?_

_Then, before me, I saw… __**her**__._

_Before me, a magnificent beauty trapped inside of what appeared to be a clear, gigantic crystal, floated before me, her eyes closed in discomforting sleep. __Long, golden hair trailed past her beautiful, fair-skinned face. Her long, white dress covered her feet._

_An angel?_

_Tears slid down from her closed eyes, her entire face contorting in an expression of pure angst._

_But why?_

_Reaching out, I touched the cold surface of the crystal, trying to connect with the angel._

"_I'm sorry.." Her lips moved._

_I froze in surprise._

'_I'm… sorry'?_

_Was that what she had said just now?_

_More tears continued to cascade from her closed eyes._

"_I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, I'm sorry." __Those whispery words fell from her lips, but never did she open her eyes. _"_I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"_

"_Why are you sad?" I suddenly asked, caressing the front of the giant gem, frowning. Angels weren't supposed to be sad, they were supposed to be happy, weren't they? They should be smiling, right?_

_The angel stopped, her charade of apologies halting._

"…"

_Confused, I tilted my head to the side._

"_Who-"_

_Then, her long dress changed into a white lab coat, and her golden hair was immediately tied up into a wiry bun._

_My eyes widened._

_That woman… why did she look so familiar?_

_Her lips suddenly moved, two more tears spilling from her closed eyes._

"_I'm sorry."_

_

* * *

_

...

"…_Mistress Rin~ it's time to wake up!~"_

…

"_Helloooo?"_

…

Whose voice was that?

It sounded… strange. Somehow cold… and mechanical?

An exasperated sigh came from above me. _"Madam, for the fifth time, it's morning already, please get up~"_ Slowly, I lifted the weight of my eyelids off, allowing my eyesight to adjust before a large set of dark eyes hovered above me.

"_Ah~ good morning, mistress!"_ The mechanical voice rang cheerily in my ears.

I blinked.

…

Then, I quickly sat up, only to have something hard came in contact with my forehead, making me fall back in shocked pain. I gasped out, clutching the spot where it hurt.

A metallic voice let out a cry of alarmed pain.

Peeking an eye open, I glanced up to see who the voice belonged to.

"_Owowowowooooooow!"_ A small, metallic green creature which appeared to be floating in mid-air, flailed above me, its beady eyes squeezed shut in pain. It then stopped, glaring at me with teary-filled eyes.

"_That hurt! What did I do?"_

I blinked in surprise.

It spoke German?

The creature had no mouth, but it appeared to be talking, its voice carrying a semi-deep, drone-like tone. Its small, greenish round body (apparently made out of metal) practically bouncing up and down in the air. Its stony, black eyes glared down at me.

"_Geez, Rin!"_

It knew my name too?

Sitting up, I looked around to see where I was. Around me, I was surrounded in an untidy, sunbathed room with all sorts of golden figures appearing on built stands, a few pictures here and there. I found myself tightly tucked under checkered yellow and black blankets with large pillows.

The trapped woman and the falling flowers… It had just been a dream?

Blinking, I let a small puff of relief. I started to climb out of bed-

… What?

I tried to move, only to discover almost every part of my body was covered in thick bandages, disabling comfortable movement. Something then poked me in the left eye, subconsciously, I touched the side of my face. A square patch of gauze covered nearly half of my face.

Looking ahead, the sight of a loud, unknown object shouting in my language greeted me.

"_It took me 2.20343 minutes to wake you up!" _The tiny thing scolded me in a robotic, indignant manner. Glancing up, it continued to berate me with its mechanical, operated voice.

I bit my lip, frowning. Who- or rather, what _was_ this creature?

"… _Who are you?"_ I finally asked, speaking the familiar language. _"And how do you know my name?"_

The robotic thing stopped, staring at me confusedly with its beady eyes. _"W-Wha…?"_ It looked at me strangely,_ "Wh-who am I'?…. B-Be serious, Rin!" _It exclaimed in its shifting, drone-like voice._ "You know that already, don't you?"_

I tilted my head to the side in confusion. _"No..."_ At first, it appeared taken aback, then as if remembering something, its expression changed.

"_Hm, well… we've never actually met before... but my identity had been engraved in your memory file.. so you __**should**__ know who I am…"_ A rusty, robotic sigh of disappointment escaped from the creature. I stared at the strange being. What was it going on about?

Then, the small, greenish robot came closer to me. "_You really have no idea who I am?"_ It asked in what sounded like a pleading voice. I slowly shook my head in reply.

Another disappointed sigh.

"_Hm.. I suppose it can't be helped."_ Drifting a few steps back, the round robot cleared its throat; "_I am GachapoidR3000 of Crypton, programmed to serve Project Rin, age 14 years, 5,126 days, 123,024 hours, 7,381,488 minutes old."_

My eyes widened.

"_My duty is to protect Project Rin, to remain loyal by her side. My awakening has been confirmed by Project Rin's VOCALOID mode."_

"_VOCALOID…?"_

What was that?

"_Yes, mistress."_ The green robot replied, bowing, _"By awakening VOCALOID, you have activated me, GachapoidR3000."_

"_Gachapoid… R3000?"_ I repeated stupidly. _"That is your name?"_

"_Yes. I am your servant."_ I looked at him strangely. _"And I will stand by to serve you, my mistress."_

… What?

"_Mistress?"_ I said, staring at him in confusion,_ "I am no one's mistress, and I espesically do not have a servant, what are you talking about?"_

"_H-... Heh?…" _GachapoidR3000 stared at me confusedly.

I tilted my head to the side, still very confused, _"And Crypton? VOCALOID? What are those things? What do they have to do with me?" _GachapoidR3000's beady eyes widened,_ "And I still don't know who you are-"_

"_Y-You're telling me…"_ GachapoidR3000 started, staggering back in shock,_ "th-that… that you… have no idea who you are?"_

I tilted my head to the side, blinking.

How did he know that?

"_Ah…yes…?"_

"_HOW CAN THIS BE?"_ The greenish robot suddenly let out a loud, inhumane shriek.

Surprised, I jolted backwards, covering my ears from the sudden scream. The robot flailed wildly around the air in panic, appearing desperate.

"_H-h-h-how is this possible?_" The robot stammered, flailing around and about, _"Why? This is terrible! It's disastrous! I was never informed of memory damage…! What happened to your computer files? There's no way a hacker could've gotten in! And there aren't any viruses…! What's happening for Miriam's sake?"_

I tilted my head to the side in confusion.

Computer files? Memory damage? Hacker? Viruses?

What _was_ he talking ab-

I blinked.

... Miriam?

A picture of the woman trapped inside the crystal appeared before me, causing a pain to travel up my head. I groaned, clutching the side of my head softly.

Miriam?

Why did that sound so familiar…?

"_Argh..! Crypton won't forgive for this…!" _The robot groaned, allowing his entire structure to practically melt to the floor.

Gasping, I snapped out of my trance. I made a move to ask him more questions. _"Wait… what are you-"_

"Rin**-chan~!"** A melodious voice rang outside of the room.

Nami?

Surprised at the sound of Nami's voice, GachapoidR3000 flailed around, his beady eyes wide with panic. _"G-Gwaaah!" _I tilted my head to the side in confusion.

Why did he look so worried?

"**Are you awake, honey? I'm coming in~!"**

"_Oh nooo…!… A-A human...!"_ The tiny robot continued to flail around, appearing desperate.

Then, just as the door swung open, the tiny robot had dived under the white covers, carefully concealing his bumpy figure.

A woman, appearing in her late twenties suddenly burst in, carrying a tray of food. **"**Rin**-chan~!"** She said, smiling, **"Is everything alright? Are your injuries healing well? Is your **cute **self doing okay?"**

I blinked momentarily before nodding.

"Cute."

Nami laughed, **"Of course you are." **She put the tray on the square stand beside me, sitting on the side of the bed. **"We've had quite a big day at the **mall** yesterday, ne? All that excitement~ we were all pretty tired by the end of the day~"** Then, she reached over and took a labeled bottle of purple liquid from the tray, she opened it and poured it into a small, curvy tool of some sort. **"Time to take your medicine, **Rin**-chaaan~"**

I glanced down at the goopy liquid. For some reason, looking at it didn't make me feel so safe. "**Say 'ah..~"** Nami gestured to her mouth, making a strange 'ah' noise. Tilting my head to the side, I copied her actions.

"Ah-" Nami immediately shoved the liquid into my mouth, causing me to gag slightly.

Something bitter and unpleasant exploded in my mouth, making me recoil back in shock. "_Yuck_!" I exclaimed, gagging. I stuck out my tongue, trying to wipe off the repulsive taste with my sleeves.

What _was_ that awful stuff?

I frowned at Nami, suddenly feeling very betrayed.

Had she been trying to poison me?

Nami smiled, youthful dimples forming around her mouth, her brown eyes twinkled with laughter. "**Ahahaha**~" She laughed, tossing her head back, **"you're so adorable~" **I frowned, she was laughing after she just tried to shove _poison_ down my throat?

Such an odd woman.

"**You're so much like **Len**-kun~! He hates medicine too~! In fact~ you were sleeping in his room the whole night through~! I'm so jealous, he wouldn't even let **_**me**_** step a foot in here~!"** Nami said, continuing to smile. I blinked, hearing a certain name brought up.

"Len…?"

Then, my eyes widened, glancing around. "Len..?"

Wait… Where had Len gone?

"Len?"

Why wasn't he here?

Forgetting all about the poison, I quickly searched around the area.

Where was Len..?

"L-Len..!" I struggled to get up, only to be stopped by Nami.

"No, Rin-**chan,"** Nami chided gently,** "you're still battered from yesterday's incident, so you still need some rest."**

"Nami…! Len…!" I pleaded, in attempt to have Nami release me.

Nami sighed, **"I know you want to see him, but there's **no **way I'm letting him **stay **here with all those reporters buzzing around outside my house."**

My eyes widened, "Len…" Something sank inside my chest, "… no stay?" I asked, feeling utterly helpless.

He had left?

"**Oh, sweetie.."** Nami started, sighing. **"I'm sorry, but he's already left for school. He's **gone**."**

"Gone..?" A heavy burden weighed my shoulders, I hung my head.

"**He wanted to say goodbye to you before he left, but you were still asleep then. I'd personally drive you to Seija Academy myself, but you're still very injured. And with those pesky reporters buzzing around just outside the mansion gate, I'd actually prefer staying inside until things calm down."** Tears began to prickle from the corners of my eyes.

Why..?

Why did he have to leave me again?.. I gripped the covers tightly.

"Len…" I murmured, tears starting to build up. "Len.."

A sigh escaped from Nami, her weight suddenly being lifted off from the bed. **"Get some sleep, sweetie, **Len**-kun's worried about you too, but he'll be back in a few hours, along with **Kaito **and **Meiko**. In the meantime, you're just gonna have to put up with mama Kagamine and her good 'ol Delly-kins~"** Sniffling, I glanced up at the two familiar names.

"Kaito…? Meiko-nee?.." I asked, tilting my head sideways.

Nami took the tray, handing me a cup. **"Yes, yes~ they're very much worried about **Rin**-chan** **too**~" As she made her way towards the door, her long hair swishing. Turning back to me, she smiled, waving cheerily. **"Also, Dell is coming to see you soon, he's the one who patched you up, being a renowned doctor and all that. Bye-bye now!~"** With that, she closed the door.

I continued to stare at the door as her footsteps padded against the flooring, then, I glanced down at the cup in my hands, ripples began to form in the water.

Len…

I looked at the vibrating ripples forming the water. A bandaged girl, whose features appeared vaguely similar to mine, stared back at me with a single, dull blue eye.

Warm blue eyes filled with the utmost kindness flashed into my mind, causing me to cringe slightly.

Why did he leave me again?

Something painful swelled up inside my chest, causing me to grasp the spot. Whenever Len wasn't here, something painful would always bubble up inside me. All this that had been going on, it had been so frightful, but without him, it was even worse..

"_Haah~"_ GachapoidR3000 immediately shot up, taking deep gasps, _"Finally… Just when I was really starting to roast under there..."_ Then his entire green structure grew rigid, as if coming to an important discovery. "_But more importantly…!"_ The mechanical robot came at me full-force, but I didn't care, I continued to look down at the girl in the water. _"Why are you being kept inside a human household? And who was that woman?"_

"Len…" I buried my face in my hands, shivering. The tears started to slide through the open spaces between my shaking fingers.

"_G-Gwaah...? M-... Rin?"_ Above me, the robot's rage disappeared, a worried tone taking over.

"Len…"

"… _L-Len?…"_ GachapoidR3000 sounded confused.

"Len…"

"…"

A brief silence overtook us. That is, until GachapoidR3000 broke it.

"_Our current location is Japan."_

Startled, I glanced up. "_W-.. What?"_

The robot sighed, _"It's unevitable… that woman just now, that accent of hers and that language.. This is Japan."_

I stared at Gachapoid confusedly. _"… Japan? What..-"_ Again, he took this opportunity to explain.

"_An island nation in East Asia, it is an archipelago of approximately 6,852 islands._" The robot explained in his built-in, mechanical voice,_ "The four largest islands are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, together accounting for 97% of Japan's land area, it also has the world's tenth largest population, with over 127 million people accounted for, according to my databanks."_

I blinked. _"You… know of this place? And you can speak their language?" _

The robot scoffed, appearing insulted. _"Madam, I assure you, I am a creation of technology's best-selling company, of course I know of the Japanese, in fact, 49 different human languages are built into my hard drive."_

My eyes widened, _"Nami!"_

GacahpoidR3000 cast me a curious stare, _"Er… I beg your pardon?" _

"_What did Nami say about Len?"_ I asked, staring straight at Gacha for answers.

"_E-Eh?…"_

"_Please!"_ I pleaded, sitting up straight, _"please tell me! She said something about Len…! You understood what she just said, didn't you?"_

"_Ah… well… yes, but-"_

"_Please tell me what she said!"_ I begged, gripping the cup tightly. For a moment, GachapoidR3000 just stared me, then sighed.

"…_I wasn't paying too much attention, to be honest, being suffocated like that." _Gachapoid said, drifting lower,_ "But that woman said something along the lines of 'Seija Academy."_

I stared at him confusedly. "_Seija Academy…? What is that?"_ Another sigh sounded from the programmed machine.

"_According to what the data is telling me, Seija Academy is an educated private school concentrated on Japan's richest and talented adolescents," _Glancing around, he sighed once more, _"It appears the owner of this room attends that academy…all those trophies and academy flags… 'Len' is his name?…"_

Perking up, I nodded quickly. _"Yes…!"_ Then I stopped, glancing around.

…This was Len's room?

"_The academy is approximately 3 miles from here… including traffic, we would need to take an authorized vehicle in order to get there-"_ GachapoidR3000 suddenly stopped, whirling around, _"Wait… you're not possibly thinking of actually __**going**__ there-"_

"_I am going."_ I stated, ignoring the cries of my cramped muscles as I threw the covers off.

"_WHA-...? M-Mistress Rin!"_ I scanned around the room carefully. Could there be something which could possibly provide me some use in getting to this 'Seija Academy?.. I had to find it. _"You can't!_ _Y-You barely know about Japan… and- YOU'RE INJURED?"_ I opened a white door in the corner, peering in.

In the midst of the dark, a full black and white, sailor uniform with a yellow tie attached to it hung in the middle of the space. "S.A." Its golden initials read across the black border.

… Seija Academy?

"_M-Madam…! Please! I beseech you, don't go to that place!"_ GachapoidR3000 floated beside me, pleading. Realizing I couldn't go outside in the baggy attire I wore, I took the set of clothes and began to change. "_M-Mistress Rin…! Please, you can't go outside…! It's even more dangerous than it is in here! And you're covered in swaddling bandages for crying out loud…! Those humans!"_

I frowned, turning to the little machine _"Please do not refer to them so coldly."_ I said, turning back to a strange kind of glass which clearly reflected my outlook.

A 'mirror'… was that what it was called?

I did a quick circle, examining myself.

...

Something wasn't right.

I ripped off the eye bandage, causing the robot in the corner to squeak out in surprise. _"M-Madam...!"_

Part of my eye was still swollen, a tinted yellowish color, but hardly noticeable if you didn't look close enough. I continued to stare at the girl in the 'mirror', tilting my head sideways.

… Something still wasn't right.

Glancing down, I saw a small, black circular band. Curious, I picked it up and began to pull both sides.

It stretched.

This greatly interested me, I continued to stretch it out.

"_A-Ah…! Don't do that, Rin! You'll break it!"_ Immediately, the black band was snatched out of my reach by GachapoidR3000. _"Here, let me do it." _He traveled behind me.

"_Do what?"_ A whirring noise sounded behind me, surprised, I tried to turn my head, only to be stopped by GachapoidR3000.

"_Stop moving, you'll mess it up!"_ Biting back a protest, I refocused my gaze back to the mirror. In the reflection, I could see mechanical hands collecting up my hair and stretching the band.

"_Done~!"_ Immediately, I touched the back of my head.

A knot?

Turning my head, I saw a small gathering of blond hair at the base of the back of my head, the band was holding it all together.

Blinking, I drew closer to the mirror, looking at the reflection…

"…Len?"

I blinked.

No, that boy wasn't Len… it was still me, only that I…

Gasping slightly, I drew back.

I looked almost _exactly _like Len…

"_Hm, you look a lot like a school boy with that uniform on, madam~" _Behind me, I heard GachapoidR300 comment._ "In fact~, if there were another boy who had a similar face to yours, I'd be fooled and drive you to Seija Academy myself~! But of course, that could never be possible~"_

Blinking I turned around.

"… _Really?"_

I glanced at the door.

"…"

I needed to find Nami.

* * *

"… **They're so annoying, **Len**-kun… those reporters are still waiting outside this mansion, they're at the main gate."** Nami said, glancing out the car window and grimacing. The crowded people bustled around the large, iron gate on the other side of us, shouting.

I let out a small sigh of relief, so far the plan was working… apparently, Nami thought I was Len and lead me straight into the moving vehicle which Gacha called a 'car'. He also (reluctantly) stuffed pillows under the blankets in order to make it look like my own self sleeping.

"**They keep making up ridiculous junk about **Rin**-chan."** I jolted, hearing my name being mentioned. **"A little girl beating up the most wanted rapists in Japan…! Hmph! They're even labeling her as your twin!"** As the large gate opened, the people immediately bustled in and crowded around the car. Quickly, she rolled past them, ignoring their cries.

"**I can't believe this, Lenny-chan… on top of that, **Kaito **deserted you! And now you're going to be late!"**

I cocked my head to the side, confused. What had she said about Kaito?

"**But even that's not the end of it, those reporters still want to question **Rin**-chan. That girl is all over the news! **_**Everyone's**_** talking about her…"** Nami sighed, flipping her hair. **"I've rejected them so many times already, but they're still pushing it…"** She swerved the wheel, driving up the gray lane. **"You wouldn't leave her alone either, you even bothered to carry **Rin-**chan all the way back here and watched over her, even when you fell asleep."** She smiled, glancing back at me, **"You were always so sweet to girls, **Len**-kun~ Sometimes I wonder about that though…"**

I could only nod in reply, which triggered musical laughter.

"_M… Mistress…" _I jolted, feeling GachapoidR3000's movements bubble underneath the front of Len's shirt. _"N-need… air…"_ His tiny green head started to rise from the chest's opening. I immediately clamped my hands over him, pushing him back down and shushing him quietly.

"**I'm surprised though, you're not usually this late… but I guess it's because you're turning fifteen, ne~?"** Nami continued, laughing, **"You kids nowadays…"** I let a small puff of relief, so she hadn't noticed Gacha.

A few minutes of silence passed as she continued to drive.

"**We're here~!"** Nami suddenly announced, glancing out the window, my eyes widened at the awaiting

A tall, large building with broad windows and a veranda at the front stretched in front. Various people dressed in the same uniform I wore walked around, laughing and chatting, others were hurrying into the building, appearing as late as I was.

"… Eh." Was all I could muster.

It was gigantic! I never knew so many people would gather up together at such an early hour! And the walls appeared polished, almost looking brand new. "**Okay, honey~! See you later!"** The car door automatically slid open, making me blink. Without thinking, I immediately scrambled out, adjusting the small knot at the back. As I started to leave, Nami suddenly called out to me;

"**Wait, **Len-**kun!"** I stopped, turning back to Nami, who was poking her head out the window. "**Ne, honey-kins~ doesn't mommy get a goodbye kiss?~"** She poked her left cheek out, winking.

I tilted my head to the side, what did she want?

"**Oh, you!"** Nami rolled her eyes,** "C'mere!"** Thrusting out her arms, she pulled me towards her without warning and puckered her lips towards my face.

_SMACK._

"!"

Immediately, I cupped a hand to the left side of my cheek.

"**Ahaha! Bye sweetheart~!"** With that, Nami pulled her self back in and drove off, leaving me slightly bewildered.

… What had just happened?

I rubbed my cheek tenderly, frowning. The woman had done something to my face… but I wasn't sure what it was. But it left me tingly inside afterwards.

"_Haaah!"_ Gachapoid suddenly popped out, gasping. _"Air…!"_ He mechanically gasped, huffing and puffing. Then, focusing back at me, he glared. _"I hope you know what you've gotten us into, miss Rin!"_ He puffed, whipping around,_ "Wandering around in a dangerous place, impersonating a useless human boy who looks like a girl-"_

Something strange boiled up inside of me, I whipped to the robot.

"_Len is not useless!" _I said, crossing my arms. _"He's been very kind to me! A person filled with joy and smiles… I should think someone like that is very much needed…! Because…!"_ I started to falter, sadness replacing the fire inside me.

"_Because… somehow, it's painful without having him there." _My voice dropped to a whisper, lowering my head, _"… Without Len, it hurts…"_

The robot, though momentarily caught off guard, sighed. _"… You're attached to a human… You really are hopeless, mistress."_

I blinked.

"_I do not approve,"_ Gacha stated, _"something so reckless and unsafe… there are too many humans out there that cannot be trusted. Right now, we __**really**__ should be investigating more important matters… such as your memories."_

My eyes widened. _"My… memories?"_

"_However,"_ The robot continued, shaking his entire rigid structure, _"if searching for a specific human is my mistress's wish, then I shall answer to that. Who knows? Perhaps we will even find answers."_ Then, he buried himself under Len's uniform shirt once again, emitting a sigh.

"_Ga… cha…"_

"_Let's go find this person then, Rin. But keep me hidden, there is a 98% chance that humans will freak out if they see a weak-willed robot butler just casually floating around."_

For a moment, something inside of me felt tingly.

A robot like Gacha... could care for my safety that much..?

Then, nodding, I rushed into the direction of Seija Academy area.

I was going to find Len.

* * *

_**Tokyo, Japan**_

_**7:11 A.M.**_

_**Tokyo Detention House**_

**General POV**

A tall, handsome-looking man, appearing to be in his mid-twenties, made his way down the brightly lit hall of the prison, ignoring the screaming threats from the most wanted criminals behind their pitiful cells. Today, he was wearing his favorite blue suit, along with a checkered tie and a small briefcase.

But perhaps, he wondered to himself with a slight frown, had he dressed too nicely for such an unpleasant occasion?

A sigh erupted from the man, running a hand through his dark, untidy hair.

Despite the pressures of being the youngest crime investigator at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, the slightly unruly man had considered his job quite fascinating. With his adept skills and high intellect, he had actually been considered one of the best police investigators ever to be born in Japan, being a youngster at that.

Cases continually flooded the department, which would forever remain hard and challenging, as the gifted man had learned to expect.

But it had been one particular case that brought him here, to the Tokyo Detention House, whereas Japan's most dangerous criminals thrived.

For upon reading the filed documents concealed in the darkest of places in police H.Q., he discovered the recent assault on three serial rapists who had on the run from the law for nearly two years.

Two imperial guards stood outside steel, heavily-barred twin doors of the interrogation room.

"State your business here." One of the guards said, staring him straight in the eye for an answer.

The man flipped out his wallet, showing the official badge "Private Investigator; Hiyama Kiyoteru, I'm with the Metropolitan Police Department, here to question the one of Japan's wanted serial rapists about the recent assault."

The two men nodded in acknowledgement, allowing him inside, making sure the door was closed behind him.

At the center of the bleak room, a handcuffed man with scraggly hair and a grizzly beard was hunched over, appearing in the prison uniform.

Dark eyes narrowed into slits. "Keitoma Tai, age 47. One of Japan's most dangerous rapists in prison history." The man in handcuffs glanced up, his bruised mouth forming a smirk.

"Hmph, the police dog."

Kiyoteru sat in the opposite side of the table, frowning. "That's right." He then placed a filed document in front of the criminal. "We've heard about your attempted rape on a 14-year-old girl at the mall."

The arrogant smirk on the criminal faded, deepening into a scowl. "… What do you want?"

The agent leaned forward, collecting his hands. "… So, what happened? What went wrong? Was that girl really the one who killed your lackeys? Your _friends_?"

"Get out." The man growled.

Kiyoteru chuckled, "I'm not leaving until I get some answers." He stated, smirking. "And there's _nothing_ you can do about it. So I suggest you'd better start talking."

For a moment, there was a brief silence.

"That bitch…" The criminal broke it, anger evident in his eyes. But there was something else too, Kiyoteru observed, was it… _fear_?

"That bitch is a monster," The former rapist growled, clenching his hairy fists, "she _killed_ Kaoru and Mori… beat the fuckin' shit outta them… she's a _monster_. She killed my pals!"

Kiyoteru raised a brow. So the rumors were actually true?

"That look in her eyes…" The ex-rapist muttered, nostrils flaring, "when she turned to me… that bitch." He then looked up, glaring, "If you compare me to her, I'm not so bad. But that girl… that bitch is a monster."

Kiyoteru narrowed his eyes, flipping out a picture and laying it out in front of the man.

"Is this her?"

Tai's eyes flickered down, his broad structure grew rigid upon looking at the picture.

The photograph held a single girl in the photo, she had cropped yellow hair and pale features. Her expression was blank, almost empty. But her eyes appeared to bore into the man, her blue eyes almost _mocking_ him.

Gritting his teeth, he clenched the both of his fists even tighter.

"… Yeah."

Kiyoteru nodded, leaning back. "Tell me what happened." The prisoner glanced up, eyes flaring. The agent, however, appeared unaffected, and instead stared directly into the rapist's eyes.

"Tell me what 'that bitch' did."

* * *

(Gasps loudly)

DONE~!

There is also a 97% chance hilarity will explode in the next chapter~ XD So review people, each one counts!

**fujingodofwind- **Yaay! That day has arrived, feel free to read it again~! Thanks for reviewing!

**Chikanpo- **Ooh yeah, everyone better watch out for Project Rin, ne? XD And I guess Len's just _that_ good with girls, huh? LOL.

**Bubblycutie- **(Laughs) Well, not really. Len just discovered her 'birthmark', so it's all good, honey.

**Mr. 99- **E-Elfen Lied? **O_O **That anime was creepy, man! It scared the frickin' bejeezus out of me! So much blood… and.. *coughs* n-nudity… It doesn't EXACTLY refer to the story though… a-anyway, thanks for reviewing!

**Moose- **(Gasps dramatically) I KNOW~ ! **O_O **I almost died writing the chapter myself! **XD **Thanks for reviewing!

**Hikari no Destany- **(Laughs) Ah, the one with the gorgeous name, how are your ? **XD **And Vocaloid mode?… heh… heh… **;)** Thanks for reviewing!

**WanderingSoulofTime- **Yaaay! Thanks a lot!~ **XD** Thank you so much for having me as your co-host in that story of yours…~! I feel so loved, thanks a bunch!

**Mizuki Kagamine- **(Laughs) Are YOU part of the Kagamine family too? Thanks a bunch! I'm glad you're a supporter of the Kagamine twins! Long live the twins! Thanks for reviewing!

**Enilec- **Thank yooou~! Reporters get on my nerves too~! That idea belonged to Bluejay~! **XD** Anything that needs work?

**AnimaniacXOX- **YES! **XD** Blame Len's stupidly clueless brain. **T_T **But then again, what does Rin think of Lenny-kins? **^_^** Thanks for reviewing!

**ruuya ruu-chan- **Yes, you deserved that slap, threatening people like that. **XD** I hope you learned your lesson, dearie~! Thanks for reviewing!

**SuperCrazedKITTY- **Meanie! *sticks out tongue* I act professional when necessary! (Laughs) Naw, you're right, I guess I am pretty overbearing like that, ne**? T_T **But yeah, thanks for dropping a line! **XD** We all just love Len, don't we?

**orangesky3- **D'awww… I loved that part too! **XD **But no, I love your questions… although they WILL be answered in due time, dearest. However, Len DID NOT find out about Rin's identity… at least not yet, so stay tune! **XD** Thanks so much for reviewing!

**Miko A. Kimura- **Thanks a bunches! Keep on reviewing though, so that I know you're still alive! **XD** And feel free to give out suggestions! I still love your comments!

**kiyoshi sora ando- **Glad you like it so much. **^_^** Here's chapter seven! Thanks for reviewing!

**Shadow Fox777- **Thank you! There are lots of mysteries to this story, even I have trouble with it sometimes. .

**ilooovejirachi- **Reporters suck, I know it. **T_T** Now everything's messed up because of them! *sobs in corner* But it WAS true, they just didn't know it, Rin pwns them all. **XD** Yay for everyone! Thanks for reviewing! And long live the old Pokemon!

**SeacatTopaz- **I. LOVE. CHICKEN. **XD** Totally random, I know… I had been chatting it up with Chikanpo about randomness a while back… plus that random marriage with Lria. **XD** I am the queen of randomness! Thanks for reviewing! ^_^

**Lria- **Slap those sick rapists, Lria! They deserve it, darling! **XD** I love you, thank you SO much for reviewing again! Thanks again, babe! And yeah…. Len's such a sweetie-pie…! WHY ARE THE HOT, PERFECT GUYS ALWAYS THE ONES ON THE INTERNET? **DX** A-AH! N-Not that I'm cheating on you, sweetheart! I'm faithful, I swear it! LOL. Thanks for reviewing, I LOVE YOU TOO~!

**Captain Bitch Ninja- **Thank you very much for reviewing! **^_^ **I'm guessing you're not a big fan of cliffhangars, ne?

Thanks a bunch, everyone! Hope you have a fresh start this year!

Don't forget to click the cute little button with the adorable yellow speech bubble labeled 'Review this Chapter'! **XD** I will love you forever and ever if you do! Please review, all sorts of criticism, praise, and advice is always welcome!

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	8. The Other Kagamine

A/N: I was listening to Len's song 'Hot Cocoa' while typing this, and was like crying because it reminded me of my uncompleted assignments… *sobs in corner*

A big thanks for reviewing to;

**WanderingSoulofTime, fujingodofwind, Miko A. Kimura, Bubblycutie and Awesomenessdude, Chikanpo, Bluejay92, Moose, ThatFanFicGuy, Skye Wolf, Mizuki Kagamine, AnimaniacXOX, xXMexaieShugosoraXx, Ruuya ruu-chan, Hikari No Destany, KF cee sora26, SuperCrazedKITTY, yukitomaso, Shadow Fox777, Kainushi-Moi, Enilec, 67rosary-bed42, and ilooovejirachi!**

**Bold: **Stands for **Japanese**, specific meanings, and so on.

_Italics: _Stands for German, insane yelling, trance-like dreams/flashbacks, and specific words.

Enjoy~!

* * *

**Rin's POV**

Everything here was so clean, so organized.

So far, I had seen many rooms, all with doors and small windows. Gacha explained the academy was divided into three different floors, all with its unique sections and classrooms.

People appearing in their mid-teens, possibly older than I was, bustled around me and about, dressing in the uniforms which were similar to mine. All of them appeared to be either talking, laughing, or walking around carrying papers or books.

But it was all unfamiliar to me, I puffed a small sigh, glancing around.

How was I supposed to find Len in such a large area filled with so many people?

I sighed again, nestling the small bulge at the front of Len's uniform.

"_Gacha…"_ I whispered, turning to face the other direction so people wouldn't see me talking to Gacha, "_How do I find Len now?"_ Almost immediately, the bulge shifted in response.

"_Might I suggest a further investigation? Try checking the rooms, but do try not to draw attention to yourself."_ I took a glance around, past the crowds.

Everywhere, left and right, wherever I looked, there were doors, all same.

If only I knew where to start.

Then, something caught my eye.

Walking across the hall, I peered up at a large, broad door with a sign printed in bright pink squiggly lines with a picture of a pink figure at the top. As if sensing my hesitation, Gacha poked out when no one was looking, his beady eyes examining the curvy pink words.

"_Hm… 'Girls' Lavatory." _Gacha read, quietly diving under again.

I tilted my head sideways, continuing to stare.

Was Len behind that door?

Curious, I quietly turned the knob and stepped in.

When I stepped in, however, I found myself surrounded in a spacious, gray room lengthened with mirrors, sinks, and stalls of some sort. The sounds of constant giggles and lively chatter echoed.

I blinked.

In front of me, there were two girls undressing and chattering.

Then, one of them looked up, emitting a sharp intake of breath. The other one, appearing puzzled, followed her gaze, their eyes practically popping out when they saw me. I tilted my head sideways in confusion, staring directly back at them. Then, two more girls popped up from behind the stalls, eyes widening.

"…?"

"_EEEEEK_!" All at once, the girls shrieked, causing me to jolt backwards in alarm.

Why did they suddenly scream like that?

"**PEEEERVEEERT**!"

Before I could register what was happening, toiletries suddenly came flying at me.

* * *

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 8**

_**The Other Kagamine**_

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* * *

**Len's POV**

"SCORE!"

"Kyaaa! Len-kun, you're so amazing!"

"I wish I were cool like you!"

"Yo, Kagamine! Play on our team next time!"

I gave a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of my head. A small crowd gathered around me, consisting of girls and teammates congratulating me on probably the ninth goal I had scored. This was 1st , and I was playing soccer (one of my favorite sports). Ted, who had been on the opposite team, walked over to me and held out his hand.

"Good game, Len." The blunt redhead said, his usual dull expression imprinted his face.

My grin widened, I couldn't help it though, Ted was _good_ when it came to soccer, and there weren't many days when I could actually beat him. Even as having him as one of my good friends, (other than Meiko and Akaito) friendship never applied to him when it came to playing on the field. He never went easy on anyone.

I grabbed the red-head's hand, grasping it firmly in a handshake, "You too, Ted."

"Yo, Len!" Akaito rushed over to us, grinning. I nodded in his direction.

"Akaito."

"So tell me," Akaito started, lazily slinging an arm around my shoulders and leading me away with Ted following, despite some protests, "how do you do it?"

I raised an eyebrow, staring at the red-head in confusion. "Do what?"

Akaito snorted, "Y'know, how is it that you get all those girls to swoon at your feet like that?" My eyebrow arched higher.

"Why are you asking me this?"

Akaito shrugged. "Let's just say I wanted to get a certain girl's attention, but having no experience whatsoever with girls, I'd figure to ask a live chick magnet, or one of my pals." To my left, Ted sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Figures you'd come up with an answer like that." Ted commented, looking off into the distance. "You're that _dying _to go out with Okasaka, ne?"

A small blush spread across the livelier red-head, "Y-Yeah?" He began, glaring directly at Ted, "Prima-chan is hot! What does that say about you? Think you're all good just 'cause you can make girls scream when you kick the ball like that?"

Ted shrugged. "Girls don't interest me."

"Oh, so you prefer guys now?" Akaito snorted, "Way to turn gay on me, man." It was Ted's turn to shoot him a death glare.

I sighed.

At times like these, I wished I could've stayed at home.

My thoughts drifted to Rin, I frowned.

Yesterday's incident caused a lot of chaos. Reporters wouldn't stop stalking us, and a lot of them wanted to interview Rin even when she had fallen asleep on the way home. A picture of her crying face came to my mind, causing me to clench my fists.

"_Len! Stay!"_

Just who in the right mind would want to hurt someone so innocent as Rin?

"Kagamine-kuuuun!" I snapped out of my thoughts, hearing my name being called. Curious, I turned around, along with the red-heads who had been verbally battling it out.

I could've sworn my heart stopped beating.

A girl with long, teal pigtails and heavily lashed eyes ran towards me, waving.

"M-Miku.." I stammered, feeling the heat rise to my face. Giggling, the girl who I have a giant crush on, stepped in front of me.

"Um… you played well today!" Miku shyly said, rocking on her toes back and forth, smiling widely. My eyes widened, she had just… _complimented_ me. For the first time.

"Th-Thanks…!" I managed to reply, grinning all the way. Man, everything about her is so gorgeous. "Your team wasn't too bad either!" Butterflies swarmed inside me, making me jittery. A sweet, bell-like laugh escaped from the tealette, just hearing it made me melt inside. I was pretty sure my grin looked idiotic by now.

"Thank you." Miku giggled, a blush prominent on her face. I could only grin back in reply.

"Yo, Len?" It was Akaito's voice, I snapped my head in his direction. He was grinning from ear-to-ear, winking. "I think I hear Kei-sensei calling me… Ted too!" As he said that, he suddenly grabbed the blank-faced Ted, still grinning.

I blinked, staring at them. "But… I didn't hear Kei-sensei call anyone." If there was one thing I knew about the rough gym teacher, it was that he was _very _loud, everyone in the entire gym would've been able to hear what he had to say.

"I'm not going crazy, Len, I heard Kei-sensei, and if we don't get going, he's sure to yell at us. Now, we'll just leave you two alone then!" With that, the eager red-head grabbed Ted and dragged him off, still grinning.

"Play nice." Ted called, waving.

I felt my face flush even redder, turning back to Miku, whose blush matched my own.

"Ah-" We both started, blushing even harder when we realized this.

"You first." I said, fidgeting nervously. Good kami-sama, I was sweating like crazy, even my palms were glistening.

"Ah… oh!" Miku flushed a darker shade of red, suddenly finding the floor interesting, "U-Um… well, I was wondering…" Her eyes flickered to me, "I-if you wanted to walk to class together after lunch? I mean… since we both have history class later." At this point, I could've sworn my heart was bursting with joy.

"S-Sure!" I stuttered, grinning like crazy, "That sounds great!"

Then, Kei-sensei's whistle blew, indicating the period was over.

Miku blinked for a moment, "Really?" Then her entire face swelled with joy, "Okay then! See you later!" I could only nod in reply, still grinning. She giggled, retreating to the girls' locker room.

I watched her fading figure, her pigtails bobbing up at down as her long slender legs traveled to the door. I noticed when she ran, her butt would wiggle in a cute swaying motion.

Not that I was watching.

It took me a while before I realized I was still standing there, staring at the back of Miku's… back (not butt, mind you). Shaking my head, I ran back to the boys' locker room myself before noticing a group of girls eying me, whispering.

Why were they staring at me so closely?

* * *

**Rin's POV**

...

...

...

**...**

"_Ga-"_

"_Shh! I think I hear something!"_

Gacha and I were now crammed inside a small, dark room of cleaning equipment. We had hidden from the scary Japanese girls from the lavatory who had chased after me..

"**Mou, **Len**-kun's so low! Barging into the bathroom like that… what a pervert!"** Outside the door, I could hear a girl huff angrily.

"**I know, right? I thought he was nice!"** Another girl commented, their footsteps just outside.

A group of sighs.

"**Well, he's gone now… there's nothing else we can do about it. We should just report to the headmaster, he'll know what to do with **Len**-kun."**

I leaned against the door, trying to hear better. They had mentioned Len several times, but could they've referred to me?

Their shadows disappeared from the light of the bottom door, and their footsteps started growing fainter.

Silence.

I heaved a relieved sigh.

Gacha immediately popped out, through the dim light, I could see his beady eyes glaring at me.

"_Rin…" _Gacha started in a threatening tone, sounding angry.

_"What. Were. You. __**THINKING**__?"_ At the last word, he exploded. Hovering high above me, making me feel as if I were shrinking under his enraged gaze. He suddenly seemed six times bigger than his size. Then shrinking down, he let out a shuddering sigh, trying to compose himself.

"_Just…_" Gacha attempted to make his voice calm, despite his vibrant trembling. "_Just… explain __**why**__ you would walk inside a girls' lavatory at the same time while still dressed up as a boy."_ I took a shaky breath, starting to talk.

"_I-… I just thought Len might've gone in there, so-"_

"_**WHAT KIND OF STUPID EXCUSE IS THAT**__?" _I jolted, starting to tremble. By now, the robot was screaming. _"THAT WAS TOO MUCH OF A CLOSE CALL! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT TROUBLE YOU'VE CAUSED US NOW?"_

"_B-But…" _I managed to utter, pleading with Gacha, _"The door looked so special compared to the to the others…! It was big, and it had more colors-"_

"_THEN __YOU COULD'VE AT LEAST TRIED USING THE OTHER LAVATORY DOOR FOR __**BOYS**__!"_

Then, before I could speak,

_Groowl._

A loud, grumbling noise erupted, causing the both of us to pause.

Gacha stopped shouting, glancing down.

_Groooooooowl.._

A rumble escaped from the pit of my stomach, it was as if it were groaning.

My eyes widened, trembling slightly.

Why had my stomach suddenly growled at me? Had I done something to offend it? Was it because I hadn't been listening to Gacha?

These thoughts swirled inside me, making me feel very uneasy.

"_Borborygmus." _The programmed machine suddenly sighed, causing me to glance up.

I tilted my head to the side in confusion. _"… Borborygmus?"_

"_Yes," _Gacha sighed again, explaining further, _"borborygmus, also known as the informal term 'stomach growling', the rumbling sound produced by gas in the stomach and intestines. It normally occurs when hunger triggers inside humans."_

Confusion filled every part of my being.

"_Hunger...?"_

_"I__s a feeling experienced when one has the need to consume essential nutrients, in other words, food."_

I blinked.

"_From what's been heard by that stomach of yours, it seems you haven't eaten for some time."_ he frowned, shaking his entire metallic structure in disapproval. _"We should get you something to eat."_ He said, his green body floating over to the knob, turning it as the door opened.

I followed behind, surprised to find the hall _completely _empty.

Where had all the people gone?

"_What about Len?"_ I asked, trailing behind the drifting machine. He however, only clucked his voice in disapproval.

"_We won't find him on that empty stomach of yours. You need nourishment."_I frowned, staring at the back of Gacha's circular structure.

"_But-"_ I started to protest.

_Groooooowl…_

My stomach practically roared, silencing the rest of my words. Gacha cast me a strange look, _"You were saying?"_ I sighed, puffing a small breath of frustration.

"_...Nothing." _Appearing to be content with my answer, Gacha turned back around on floated onwards.

"_Yes, in any case, I have my suspicions the nearest kitchen is atop here somewhere… we just have to find its place."_

I looked upon my stomach in slight dissatisfaction, now it was going to take longer to find Len.

We stepped into the open mouth outside the stairway, which lead to another wide, empty hallway. Then, as if sensing something, Gacha halted. "… _To the left."_ And he dashed into the said direction, flying past doors. I sprinted after him.

"_Wh… Where is this place?"_ I asked breathlessly, whizzing past the endless ceiling lights.

"_I believe this is where the seniors' classes are in session, madam. But from the faint scent of cooked food and chattering, most of the humans are at a traditional gathering." _Gacha explained hurriedly, taking a sharp turn, to which I followed.

I glanced around, panting slightly. _"A gathering? What kind?"_

"_From what I've heard, miss Rin,"_ Gacha glanced behind, utmost seriousness crossing his mechanical features, _"it's called __**'lunch time."**_

For a while longer, we continued to dash down the empty halls, the doors zipping past. We then stopped a pair of twin doors with built-in windows. peering into the glass, I could see many students, possibly older than me, in a wide, spacious room, sitting around different tables and laughing.

The little robot sprang into the open mouth of Len's uniform, mumbling. "_More humans, Rin… but you can't let them see me, otherwise we'll only draw more useless attention to ourselves."_

_Groooowl…_

I sighed inwardly, casting my stomach an indignant glance.

"_All those orchestra of Japanese cuisine, there's no doubt… a giant kitchen is around here, it's behind those doors. We just have to find it and feed that annoying stomach of yours."_ I nodded, pushing the doors open. Almost immediately, the once muffled volume of conversations went full-blast. The rich smells of food filled my nose, causing my mouth to water. It all smelled so _good_… I was greatly awed by it.

Then my stomach let out a long, wailing growl. I remembered the kitchen. Focusing on my current aim, I snuck around, trying to blend among the crowded people, who didn't seem to notice.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a swinging gray door.

The kitchen?

As quietly as I could, I ran towards the gray door, turning the knob and entering, blocking out the noises. I was now surrounded in a spacious, damp room, with various tools scattered about on black countertops. I carefully searched around for any signs of life. I sighed.

"_Everything is clear, Gacha."_

A small green ball flew floated out from underneath the open crook of the white shirt.

"_Hm…" _The robot floated atop of a counter, glancing around. Looking to the left, he pushed aside a few bottles and a box of knives, revealing large amounts of various foods and all sorts of colorful liquids, filled to the brim.

My eyes widened, and my mouth fell open in surprise.

I pounced on the counter, stuffing the strange foods into my mouth.

To my surprise, it was all… _delicious_.

Wide-eyed, I turned to Gachapoid, eyes shining. "_All of this food! Everything! It's incredible! I've never experienced anything like this in my entire life!" _I exclaimed as small crumbs flew everywhere.

A drop of sweat appeared at the back of the robot's head.

"... _Yes, I can see that."_ He answered, twitching at the mess I was making. Eagerly, I turned back to the food, devouring the multitude of white soft-looking grains on a porcelain plate.

Everything, it was all so good!

I soon found myself consuming everything. Eggs, potatoes, breads, various salads, cakes, sushi, cheeses, all explained by Gacha.

"_You should eat some too, Gacha! It really is delicious!"_ I exclaimed again, holding out a strange, cone-shaped fruit the green robot called a 'pineapple.'

"_No thank you, miss Rin. Unlike you, I do not need to consume vast amounts of food."_ Gacha said, floating atop my shoulder. _"I am a robot after all."_

I tilted my head sideways.

"_Oh…"_ Then, I blinked, remembering something. _"I have a few questions." _Gacha glanced at me with a curious look.

_"Ask away."_

"_Where did you come from?"_ I immediately asked, _"And how did you manage to find me?"_

"_I was a computer part built from the lower optic nerve of your brain system." _Gacha explained professionally, _"but a very small piece at that. When VOCALOID mode operated, it signaled my awakening. I escaped the external auditory canal of your left ear whilst you remained unconscious, my physical form would then evolve a few hours later."_

Confusion filled every part of my being.

"_You're saying… you were __**inside**__ me?"_ I pointed to myself, staring at the robot wide-eyed.

"_Affirmative."_ I continued to stare in shocked silence at the programmed machine.

"_W…" _I started weakly, confused. _"But humans don't have computer parts built into their brains…?" _For a long time, Gacha studied me, then started to speak.

"_You're no ordinary force, miss Rin. Some part of you is human, but robotics are built into your nervous system and your vertebrae. Thanks to our company's best scientists, you survive most painful situations which would kill humans. You alone are far superior in comparison to them."_

My confused gaze then set down to my messy, trembling hands.

_"… What __**am**__ 'I?"_

Gacha shifted his small, round structure directly in front of me, appearing serious. _"You're our company's greatest success yet."_ His drone-like voice stated mechanically.

"_You are VOCALOID."_

Then, before I could speak, a crashing noise sounded somewhere in the room, causing the both of us to turn to the door in surprise.

Just as Gacha dove into the open neck of Len's uniform, a red-faced, oversized woman who wore a frilly pink apron, was glaring directly at me with blazing eyes. Her large, shaking hands grasped a giant stick.

* * *

**Len's POV**

The loud conversations filled the large cafeteria, students crowded around different tables in their own separate cliques and such.

"Soooo… Shota scored a walk with pigtails girl, eh?" Kaito grinned slyly, licking the top of his ice cream. "How surprising."

Blushing, I shot him a glare, chewing my banana. "Shut up."

It was lunch time, I sometimes ate with Kaito and Meiko, who had lunch at the smallest table. Normally, I ate with my other friends, but as Meiko decided to invite me to eat with her and Kaito, I couldn't see the point in refusing.

Meiko rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her water. "I really don't see what the fuss is about, it's only Hatsune." She murmured, looking aside. I frowned.

"What do you have against Miku?" For a moment, I saw Meiko flinch.

"… It's a long story." Meiko sighed, she then grinned, "But I'd rather talk about Rin-chan now, how's she doing?" I blinked, startled at the new subject being brought up.

"Bunny-chan's doing fine," Kaito answered casually, waving her off, "she's resting at home, but she'll be fine." Meiko sighed.

"Man, I can't stop thinking about what happened yesterday." The brown-haired girl said, biting her lip. "About Rin-chan, and those rapists…" I felt myself flinch at the mention of the rapists. "I hear two of them are dead now, judging on how badly they were injured, the leader managed to survive though. I still don't get how Rin overcame them, though. She seems too sweet to be capable of such violence."

I frowned, looking down at my half-eaten lunch.

To be honest, I had barely managed to survive yesterday. On the way home, when Rin fell asleep, I had noticed the metal circle on her bare back.

'VOCALOID'. It had read.

But what on earth was 'VOCALOID'?

Did Rin know she had that on her back? How did she managed to survive those thugs? These questions still bothered me.

I took a bite out of my banana, thinking.

"There are rumors flying around about you, Len." Meiko spoke up again, frowning.

I quirked a brow, "Rumors? What kind of rumors?"

"Apparently, everyone at this school saw the news. The 'Lost Kagamine', that's what everyone's calling it." Meiko stated, smoothing her uniform out. My brow rose even higher.

"Lost Kagamine?"

"They're talking about Rin-chan," Meiko replied, "She's been officially labeled as your twin sister." I started choking on the uneaten piece of banana in my mouth. Kaito reached over and whacked by back several times before I finally stopped coughing.

"_What_?" I gasped out, staring wide-eyed at Meiko, who frowned.

"Hm, guess you haven't caught the news." Meiko sighed, "But that's what everyone's saying. Len and Rin Kagamine were born as twins, but separated at birth. And the younger twin has been looking for her dear brother ever since."

"In other words, you." Kaito added, clicking his tongue at me.

Meiko nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and later the mall incident somehow ended up in the story."

I felt my jaw drop open in shock at what I was hearing.

Rin 'Kagamine'…?

_Twin_ sister?

But we weren't even related!

"So, is it true?" Meiko asked, leaning in.

"O-Of course it's not, Meiko-nee!" I sputtered, placing my hands on the table. "If Rin were my sister I would've known about it! She's only a friend! Besides, I've only known her since Kaito brought her in last night!" I turned to my stepbrother for confirmation, "Right?"

Kaito shrugged, "Well yeah, but who knows? Maybe this is a private family secret between you and Nami? You and bunny-chan _do _look a lot alike-"

"I said we're not twins!"

"Well whatever," Meiko finally sighed, in attempt to settle us down, "I don't care anymore, but I choose to believe Len." Her gaze flickered to me, a serious look in her eyes, "Still, I'm worried about Rin-chan. Keep an eye on her for me, okay?" I nodded dumbly, silently returning to eat.

Rin was at home, mom and Dell were there, and the rumors would eventually fade…

So why did I still feel at an unease?

"YOU DAMN KID! LOOK AT THE MESS YOU MADE!" A scream erupted, overpowering even the loudest of cafeteria conversation, everyone suddenly stopped talking, glancing around.

A silence.

I rose an eyebrow, looking around as well.

What was that scream just now?

Noises of crashing, clattering, and swearing erupted. Everyone looked towards the back kitchen, appearing curious. All of a sudden, something covered in flour, sauces, and food stains, dashed out of the side door. The crazy, red-faced kitchen cook swearing after it with a broom held high.

With incredible speed, the messy figure then dashed around the tables, causing some to squeal. Cursing, the red-faced woman swung at the figure, narrowly missing. Then, it suddenly leaped towards the back of the room, where we were. I only had a brief time to look at the person. He or she was covered in too much food and flour for me to see recognize as the face was splattered with too much tomato sauce, making the identity unclear.

Then, 'it' leaped on top of our table, causing the entire base to rattle uncontrollably.

"Hey, brat..." the cook seethed, eyes burning with contempt, "I WON'T LOSE TO YOU!"

The cook, swearing, swung at it. The person, however, leaped and landed on top of the broom, making the woman struggle in effort to take it back. I gaped at the person in awe, along with the rest of the wide-eyed seniors. Then, it jumped high in the air and executed a double front-flip over the short, red-faced lady, causing the lot of us to let out a chorus of 'ooohs' and 'ahhs'.

The agile person, moving like an acrobat, sprang across the tables and bolted out the twin cafeteria doors, leaving the wheezing, oversized kitchen lady behind to shout and curse at the figure before giving up and storming back into the kitchen.

Hushed murmurs of confusion now filled the entire area.

Whoa.

"… What the hell was _that_?" Meiko, who had been momentarily stunned, asked aloud. I frowned, staring after the swinging doors.

Meiko was right.

What just happened?

And what _was_ that thing?

* * *

**Miku's POV**

The bell rang, I immediately dashed out of the second floor's cafeteria, hurrying to my locker and opening it up. I sighed, examining myself in the small mirror inside, picking at a few strands of hair.

I'm so excited. I'm finally going to walk to class with Kagamine Len!

I felt myself heat up, my entire body growing clammy.

Maybe Len didn't realize then..., but we attended the same middle school together. Even back then, he was very popular with everyone. Kind and tolerant of everyone, he was known as everyone's prince who offered a smile to anyone. He was especially polite to girls.

I first fell in love with him when I crashed to him during orientation, scattering all my papers. Back then I was such a clumsy ditz with braces and glasses; rembering my past was so embarrassing.

But being the gentleman Len-kun was, he carried my stuff and even offered to walk me to class. Of course I couldn't refuse. Having the blond heart-throb walk me to class was a dream come true! But back then he was only being nice to a geeky classmate who hid behind books.

I fluffed my hair, carefully combing out the sides. Even now, I had to look my absolute best. Today, kami-sama was smiling down at me! I've actually been given the chance to talk to Len-kun again!

"Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!"

A high, girly shriek erupted, causing me to jolt backwards in surprise. Something hurried past me, causing me to glance sideways. I stared. Apparently, a certain someone covered head-to-toe with tomato stains and flour, dashed down the hall, catching other people's' attention.

The person was dressed in the male freshman uniform, appearing to be a boy with a thin frame. His golden hair, despite being faintly showered with flour, was gathered at the back in a small ponytail...

I blinked.

… Len-kun?

What?

"Hatsune?" I turned around, blinking in shock when I saw who it was.

Hovering right in front of me, was _Len._

"K-Kagamine-kun? Where did you come from?" I asked, pointing at him.

A few seconds ago, I thought I just saw him...

A slight look of confusion crept onto his face.

"I just came from the senior hall, I ate lunch a few minutes ago. Why?" I frowned, glancing the other direction. I could've sworn I saw him running the other way… the senior hall was upstairs and on practically on the other side of school. So who had I seen earlier?

"Hatsune?" I immediately turned, facing a concerned-looking Len. "You okay?"

"Y-Yes, I'm fine. I just spaced out for a while there. Sorry." I answered quickly, smiling nervously.

No, there's no way Len could've been at both places at the same time. If he said he had walked on his way here from the senior floor then he's obviously telling the truth.

It had just been my imagination after all.

Len blinked, "Oh… okay then." And he walked forward, then stopped, glancing back at me with a shy smile. "You coming?"

I gasped, "Oh! Y-Yes!" And I hurried to catch up, walking beside him. For a while, an awkward silence consumed us. I wanted to attempt to start a conversation, but what if Len-kun preferred silence? Should I keep my mouth shut? Or should I talk anyhow? I didn't want to bore him, but I didn't want to annoy him either.

"… So, um.." Len suddenly started, sounding nervous. "How are you doing?" It was all I could do to keep myself from glomping him. Len-kun, you're so, so _kawaii-desu!_

I managed to smile at him, though inside I was shaking. "I-I'm fine, thank you."

Another silence.

I sighed to myself as we passed Prof. Gakupo's room, this was really awkward..

"Ne, did you hear about what happened up at the senior cafeteria?" A passing girl asked to her friend while they walked by. Startled, I turned around and slowed my steps.

The girl's friend nodded, "Yeah, I heard some crazy freshman made a huge mess in their kitchen. Apparently, he raided the entire stock."

"Yeah. I heard the cook was really mad; she even chased after him with a broom!" I frowned, hurrying my pace. So something had happened at the senior cafeteria?

I shifted my gaze to Len, who was staring straight ahead, appearing in deep thought. "Is something on your mind?" I asked kindly. Almost immediately, he turned to me.

"Huh?" He blinked, then sighed. "Oh sorry… I was just thinking about someone." At this, I felt my heart stop. Worry made me bit my lip.

Could he have thought about another girl?

"O-Oh really? Who?" I asked, in spite of myself. Len paused, rubbing the back of his neck as if pondering.

"A friend." Len finally said, looking directly at me. For a moment, I felt a slight string of hope tug at my heart.

"Girl or boy?" I asked, praying he'd say 'boy.'

"She's a girl."

My heart sank in disappointment as I stared at the passing floor. So he _had_ been thinking about another girl.

"But I've only known her for a few days," Len quickly said, "it's not like I know her that well or anything." Again, hope started to dwell within me. I glanced up at him, finding the strength to smile.

"R-really? Um, I hope I don't sound rude for asking this, but… what's she like?"

As I said before, I wanted to get a conversation going, and besides, if this girl was just a mere acquaintance then the problem wasn't too bad. I don't mean to sound greedy, but I want every possible chance to be Len-kun's girl.

Len blinked, "You want to hear about Rin?"

Rin?

Such a simple name...

"Yes, I'd love to." I said, beaming. At first, Len just looked at me, then nodded.

"Rin's…" Len started, his gaze moving forward as we walked to class, "Rin's pretty bashful." he said, sighing. "She doesn't really trust people either, but she might have a good reason for it."

"Oh?" I said, attempting to sound interested. But in truth, I was just happy we were talking about something.

"And she's pretty naïve too. That's what's funny about her." He said, chuckling, "She's always curious about everything, kind of like a puppy would act. I think she's a trouble-maker too." I heard him laugh. I nodded to show him I was listening.

"But, in a way… she's sorta cute."

I froze.

Did he say _cute_?

I glanced up at Len, feeling my blood run cold. "The way she acts so innocent, like everything's new to her…" His expression held a distant, far-off look.

"Kagamine-kun?" Then, as if on cue, he snapped back to me.

"Aaah, sorry. I zoned out there for a second." he apogloized, "I'm a little worried about her, but I'm sure she's fine." he laughed, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. I couldn't help but frown a bit.

This 'Rin' girl sounded awfully special to Len.

"… I see," I replied carefully. "Is Rin is just a friend to you?" For a moment, he stared at me, then chuckled.

"To be honest…" Len started, I felt the temperature starting to rise inside me. "Rin's kind of like the little sister I never had." he said with a smile. "Sometimes it's hard to remember she's actually around our age since she acts so childish."

I felt myself relax, so he only thought of her as a sister? Thank goodness.

"She sounds like a wonderful person." I chirped enthusiastically, feeling much more cheerful now. "It'd be nice if I could meet her sometime, ne?" Len laughed, turning to me with a smile that made me flutter inside.

"I bet she'd like that."

We talked and joked around for the rest of the trip to history. In fact, I was having so much fun, I actually forgot we were walking to class. Finally, we arrived at the right door, still laughing about a time when Len accidentally tripped over his shoelaces while he was trying out for the eighth-grade soccer team.

"Wha…? Kagamine?" Two boys from our class walked up to us with a puzzled looks on their faces.

"Yes? Can I help you?" Len politely asked, looking somewhat curious.

One boy scratched the top of his head, appearing confused. "Didn't we just pass you a while ago? You were running upstairs... how did you get here so fast?" Len looked at them both in mild confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

The other boy shrugged, shifting the weight of his books. "We thought we just saw you, covered in a mess, run towards the study hall… about a minute ago?" It was my turn to frown.

What were they talking about? The study hall was in the east wing, and we had walked in the west wing the entire time. Len stared at them, totally confused.

"But I haven't been anywhere near the study hall today, and I've walked to class with Hatsune."

I nodded in agreement. "Yes, Kagamine-kun has been with me the entire time." The two boys exchanged confused glances, then shrugged.

"Well, whatever." The boy who talked first, sighed. "We're still half-asleep from Professor Kamui's lecture, so you're probably right." The other student nodded, then, they walked off into miss Ann's classroom.

Len turned back to me, smiling. "Well, that was weird. I don't even like going into that old place; it's so boring."

I giggled, nodding. "Yeah, I hate it there too."

To be painfully honest, I actually enjoyed the academy library. It treasured so many old language books I grew up with over the years. But what else was I supposed to say? Len would've thought I was a nerd just like in middle school.

And we walked into the classroom, chatting about other stuff before miss Ann would go up at the front and start teaching. Inside I was bubbling over happiness. Kami-sama really _was_ smiling down at me today. I looked at Len, who was smiling. I smiled back.

Then piercing screams broke the mood.

"You're unforgivable! Running away from us like that!"

"You WON'T get away this time!"

"LEEEEEEEN-KUUUUUUUUUUUUN!"

Rampaging footsteps thundered behind us. Len, hearing his name, swiveled around. Several volleyball girls chased down the flour-faced figure, screaming and shaking their fists at who they thought was Len. Their backs facing us, they didn't know the real Len was just behind them.

"Uh... I'm right here?" Len said, weakly waving despite they were facing the other way.

I giggled.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

Once I ran out of the large woman's lair, I ran into the crazy girls from before. I finally managed to escape them when I ran from the floor and bolted down the stairs. Now I was inside a large, spacious area filled with large shelves of books and tables.

Everywhere, it was deathly quiet. There were a few students around me, either reading or whispering to each other in private conversation. Looking around, I saw a private corner to hide in, so I rushed over to it.

As I ducked behind a tall shelf, Gacha immediately popped out. "_That was __**close**__."_ He said, gasping. _"For someone so old and obese, that woman sure knows how to swing a broom."_

I gave a slight tilt of a nod, panting.

"**Kagamine-kun**?" Looking through the wide spaces in bookshelves, aquamarine eyes stared at me, just inches above Gacha's form. Alarmed, I grabbed the robot and stuffed him back into Len's shirt while trying to hide the squirming bulge.

A girl, appearing slightly older than me, traveled around the shelf and towards me, looking curious. "**What are doing against the shelf? Did you lose something?"** I stood up, hands tightly over my chest. The girl's eyes widened, "**G****oodness! What on earth happened to you?"** She drew closer, looking alarmed.

I backed away before blinking, staring at the girl.

She had long, rich pink hair which fell at her waist, curling slightly at the ends. Her eyes were big and blue, hiding behind narrow-rimmed reading glasses. Her figure was also _very_ attractive, with long legs leading up to a curvy torso with large breasts.

Then, I noticed something else.

In one hand, she was holding an _orange_.

My mouth watered.

"**Kagamine-kun?"** The girl came closer, even more concerned. The orange in her hand bounced up on down. Eying the delicious motion, hunger spiked me. Without thinking, I rushed forward and snatched it from her hand, causing her to squeak in surprise. Then I stumbled and lost my balance, crashing into her large breasts.

"**K-K-Kagamine-kun?"** The girl screamed, blushing. I was leaning against her, face still implanted on her chest. I was about to step back until I realized…

She was so... _soft_.

Greatly interested by this, I dug my face even deeper, nuzzling against her giant chest.

"**KYAAAAAAAAAH!"** The pink soft-breasted girl immediately screamed, causing the both of us to topple to the floor.

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**Kaito's POV**

Fuuuuuuck.

I was so tired. I let out a yawn, flipping the page of the textbook. Right now, I was at the library with Meiko, studying for Friday's test. Being seniors, we could pretty much do anything at this hour.

"Ne, Kaito?" I glanced up, staring at the brown-haired girl sitting across from me. I cocked a brow.

"What?"

"You've been yawning all day, you sick or something?" Meiko leaned in, setting down her book and frowning. I shook my head, stretching out my arms.

"Nah. Just tired. Yesterday was a total bitch." I answered, letting out another yawn. Meiko scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Figures." Then, she appeared thoughtful. "I wonder how Rin-chan's doing…" I snorted.

Rin just _had_ to be brought up.

All my friends saw the news; they wouldn't stop questioning me about Rin all day. Neither would Len's fan girls. Everyone wanted to see her. The blond was an attention magnet or somethin'.

"Still worried?" I asked sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "I already said she's fine. Can we just stop talking about h- AAH.." Meiko kneed me where the sun didn't shine.

… I just barely managed to hold back a painful scream.

"Meiko, what the _fuck?"_ I gasped, clutching my children. And I'll tell you that hurt like _hell_, though that wasn't the only place Meiko would hurt me. My so-called 'best friend' shot me a glare.

"You had it coming, Baka. It's obvious you don't give a dog's shit about her!" I glared in response.

"What the fuck are you saying?" I half-yelled, half-whispered, still keeping my voice at a low level. "Accusing me of not caring... you make me sound like a coldhearted bastard! Rin almost got _raped_ for damn's sake!"

Meiko crossed her arms, puffing. "Then why is it that whenever I try to bring her up, you're always trying to avoid talking about her? Are you hiding something from me?" At those words, I flinched.

"_Remember, you can't tell anyone about Rin."_ Dad's words from yesterday repeated in my head.

Glancing up at Meiko, who was crossing her arms, I felt my will weaken. I was never used to keeping secrets from her, she had been my closest, most supportive friend for over ten years. Whenever I tried to keep something from her, I'd always end up spilling my guts out in the end. It was the same for her.

But…

"_Promise me, son."_

I sighed, rubbing my temple.

But I just _couldn't_ tell Meiko about what dad said about Rin. Even I was still trying to grasp the truth.

"… It's complicated." Meiko's expression softened, she leaned over and gently grasped one of my shoulders.

"Kaito, we've been friends for a while now." Meiko said, her brown eyes boring into mine. "Can't you tell me?" By the look on her face, I knew I was worrying her, and it didn't feel great.

"KYAAAAAAAAAH!" A girly, high-pitched scream suddenly erupted throughout the library, causing the both of us to jolt.

Meiko suddenly stood up, eyes wide. "What the hell was that?" I stood up as well, seeing students running over towards a secluded corner of the library, one of the places academy couples would go and make out. Nodding to each other, we followed the rushing students, pushing past to investigate. When we finally reached the front, I felt my jaw drop open in surprise along with the other bystanders who had watched.

"LEN?"

"S… Stop it! Kagamine-kun!" On the floor, sprawled out, was a flustered pink-haired freshman girl whose breasts rivaled Meiko's.

Luka Megurine?

Luka was a girl in Len's grade, one of his friends. The shy but gorgeous student librarian of Seija Academy. She sometimes talked with me, Meiko, or Len, but that was it, no close contact or anything.

Until now.

Right now, for the past five seconds, Len had been enthusiastically groping her giant boobs.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Yeeeeeeeeeeah, awkward.

Megurine, shrieking, reared back and slapped him across the face. "You're terrible!" Crying, she got up and ran into the arms of Meiko. Len, sitting there, clasped the spot where she hit him. He began to sniffle, tearing up at the pain.

"Hey, Len? Have your frustrations finally gotten the better of you?" I asked crudely, making him look at me. That's when I was suddenly aware of his appearance.

All the students, including me and Meiko, stared, mouths agape. Shota was a complete mess. His clothes were covered in food stains and flour. "Kai... to?" He suddenly was on his feet, wide blue eyes shining. "Kaito! Kaito!" Then without warning, he suddenly rushed over and leaped on me. "Kaaiiiiiitooo!"

"GWAH!" I yelled aloud, struggling to balance with the sudden weight thrown on top of me. I tried pushing him off, but he'd gotten too strong for some weird reason. "Sh-shota? What the fuck…!" He let out a girly squeal, flinging his arms around me and scrambling on top of my shoulders.

"Kaito, up!"

I froze.

Wait a minute.

Glancing up at Len, I felt my mouth slowly drop open. "What did you just say, Len?" I managed to ask in a hoarse tone, feeling my throat run dry. Confused stares surrounded me. Whispers were starting to rise, but I didn't care. 'Len' tilted his head to the side, staring at me with curious blue eyes.

"Len...?" The scrawny blond repeated questioningly, pointing at himself. At this point, I would've sworn I felt the color draining from my face.

_That voice…!_

"Not Len!" The blond stated, puffing out 'his' cheeks indignantly. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw an _orange_ in his hand. "Not Len!" And there was only one person I knew who loved oranges.

"Len not stay! Rin go to Len." The blonde puffed again, crossing 'his' arms in what seemed like a childish manner.

Oh god...

"_Rin_?" I blurted, staring wide-eyed at the blonde. In response, she clapped her hands and nodded eagerly.

"Rin!"

Almost immediately, an uproar started within the small crowd. All I could do was stand and stare at Rin, who was impersonating Len, despite looking too damn innocent for her current crime. She was dressed in his clothes, even complete with the shota-gay, little ponytai.

But what was with all the food stains?

"R-Rin-chan? Is that you?" Beside me, Meiko slowly approached 'Len' who was actually Rin in disguise, brown eyes wide with disbelief. Turning to Meiko, Rin blinked, then her eyes widened in recognition.

"Meiko-nee!" Rin chirped, waving. Then, all at once, I was bombarded by the other students.

"Whoa Kaito-senpai! So that's her? That's Rin?"

"That's the 'Lost Kagamine' everyone's talking about?"

"Is she the twin of Len-kun, Kaito-senpai?"

"Kyaaaaaaa! She looks just like Len-kun~!" Students immediately crowded around, loading me with all sorts of comments and questions. If this were an anime, the girls' eyes would be hearts. They're total shota suckers.

"Is it true what the news said? Did she really beat up those rapists?"

"Is she really Len's twin?" I glanced around wildly, gritting my teeth in frustration.

What was I supposed to say now?

"Uh…! That's right!" I suddenly blurted, trying my best to sound confident. "This is her, everyone! This is Rin Kagamine, the twin sister of Len Kagamine!" I proclaimed in a very loud voice, lifting the girl high in the air as if she were a prized trophy or incredible god. Surprisingly, a chorus of cheers erupted. I soon found myself grinning. Glancing up, I saw Rin looking around, innocently bewildered at everyone's actions.

"This? Rin? Len...?" Rin looked around, still very confused.

"You idiot!" Beside me, Meiko was glaring straight at me. "What the hell are you doing? What about what Len said? You're twisting his words around!" Luka stood beside her, glancing up at Rin in mild confusion.

"She's... the sister of Kagamine-kun?"

Then, everyone suddenly grew very quiet.

Confused, I looked around, then, the audience immediately began to clear a path, revealing two people staring at the both of us.

I froze.

Standing just two feet away, was Nami, who was _extremely_ white-faced and the not-so-happy looking headmaster.

"..."

Oh.

We're officially screwed.

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A/N: Finally done! This took me **forever** to complete! *gasps* This chapter is officially done~! I'm so happy to finally get it off my chest!

But seriously, people. REVIEW. Bluejay92 and I really love those notes. Anyhow… let's all try for **150** reviews, otherwise, the school day for Rin, Kaito, Len and everyone else will _definitely not end well. _**XD**

**Don't forget to vote on the live popularity poll on my profile!**

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	9. Official Ties

**A/N**: Gwaah! This chapter's kinda late, right? I am _so_ sorry. School has me tied up, it's winter, and the plot is finally starting to thicken… so yeah. Though I'm pretty sure we're all busy with school, college, or any whatnot.

But here it is; the starting point where things finally start to get 'serious.'

This story has hit over **159 reviews** and I haven't even gotten to chapter 10 yet! Awesome! I'm glad this story's getting so much attention, I just hope I can live up to such privilege, I am truly unworthy of such patience and loyalty to you all. (Bows)

A big thanks for reviewing to;

**WanderingSoulofTime, fujingodofwind, Miko A. Kimura, Bubblycutie and Awesomenessdude, Chikanpo, Bluejay92, Mizuki Kagamine, SeacatTopaz, Ruuya ruu-chan, SuperCrazedKITTY, yukitomaso, Shadow Fox777, orangesky3, Kainushi-Moi, Enilec, kyuuabi233, The Shining Sprite, kuriL.b, xxXDarkNekoJokerXxx, BigMouth12349, anime4youandme, Hikari no Destany, ilooovejirachi, RinxRoadrollers, Lria, cherryblossom, Haruka Hoshine, and alphaprincess0803!**

**Disclaimer: **I WILL GO AFTER ANYONE WHO SAYS I DON'T OWN THE VOCALOIDS WITH A CHAINSAW… because they're absolutely right. **T_T**

**Warning:** This content contains **mild swearing**. You have been warned.

**Bold: **Stands for **Japanese**, specific meanings, and so on.

_Italics: _Stands for German, insane yelling, trance-like dreams/flashbacks, and specific words.

Enjoy~!

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**Meiko's POV**

Everyone was deathly silent, including me and the blue-haired dumbass. Rin however, was what looking around in confusion.

"?"

"Kaito-kun..." Nami uttered, staring directly at Kaito with all the color drained from her face. I looked up at Rin, frowning. What was she doing here? And why was she wearing a boy's uniform?

A look of disapproval crossed Headmaster's stern face, from what I could tell, he obviously wasn't happy.

"You two, in my office, NOW. Bring the girl."

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 9**

_**Official Ties**_

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**Len's POV**

I was currently in Miss Ann's history class, supposedly to read up on the assigned pages. I twirled with the end of my pencil, flipping page after page in the history book.

The class itself wasn't so bad. All we did was read, answer questions, and do homework assignments from time to time. The only worst thing about this class would be the pop quizzes Miss Ann would give out at unpredictable times.

But my mind was wandering elsewhere…

"_Kagamine-kun! What can you tell us about your twin sister, Kagamine-kun?"_

"_Over here, Kagamine-kun!"_

"_Has this always been a private secret of the Kagamine family!"_

I was still worrying about Rin.

"Kagamine?" I snapped out of my thoughts, hearing my teacher's voice. "You're being called to the office. The headmaster would like to see you." All eyes turned to me, making me uncomfortable.

"Oh… okay." I stood up and made my way to the door, feeling the eyes from my other classmates follow me out the door, I could see Miku looking after me curiously as well. I stepped out into the wide corridor, starting to make my way to the office.

On the way, I began to ponder.

What did Headmaster want me for?

I walked into the lobby, nodding to the secretary who was typing at the front desk, pointing to the door to Headmaster's office.

I opened the door.

My eyes widened.

Headmaster was sitting behind his desk, as usual, glancing at me with sharp eyes. Kaito and Meiko were sitting on either side of each other, looking back at me when I walked in. Mom was in the corner, looking very upset when she looked at me. But the most surprising thing of all was just a few meters away..

A girl, her back to me, about my size, wearing the male freshman uniform which was covered in stains, was sitting on the academy director's lap. She was playing with his long intricate braid which hung carelessly over his shoulder.

I furrowed my brows, who in the right mind would play with the academy director's hair?

Then, as if sensing my presence, the girl perked up, turning around. My eyes shot wide open. I nearly fell back in surprise seeing who it was.

Big blue eyes, short blond hair…

"Leeeen!" Rin exclaimed, bouncing out of the headmaster's lap and rushing straight over, eyes big with anticipation. She grasped both ends of my shirt. "Len! Len!" I stared at her, my jaw practically hanging open.

"R-Rin…? What are you doing here?" I managed to ask, suddenly feeling light-headed.

What was she doing here? And why was she wearing an academy uniform? Why was it covered in stains?

"Len! Len! Len!" Rin continued to chant. Then, she thrust out a round, brightly-colored object. "Orange!" I glanced down, smiling weakly in reply.

"Yeah... orange." Don't get me wrong, I was really happy to see her and all, considering I've been worrying about her all day… but seriously, what _was_ she doing here?

Headmaster spoke up, "Kagamine-kun, would you care to take a seat?" I saw the uncomfortable looks on everyone's faces, then I glanced at Rin who covered in food stains. For some reason, I didn't have a good feeling where this was going. I obediently sat in one of the chairs, facing Headmaster. A displeased, sharp expression crossed his face. His eyes became slits. I gulped, feeling the blood drain from face.

This couldn't be good.

"Rin-san." Headmaster suddenly said, smiling kindly. Beside me, Rin perked up, rushing back to where the academy head was, hopping back onto his lap. I was even more surprised when Rin started playing with the director's delicate black braid, flipping and poking at it with a curious expression on her face. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see my mom smiling a bit. "This girl has been causing a lot of trouble today." Headmaster suddenly said, turning to me with a detached expression, his smile long gone. "It appears she's snuck in here, despite not being enrolled."

I blinked.

"Rin snuck in here?" I looked over to Rin, who was still playing with Headmaster's braid.

"Yes. And apparently, she's been charged with a wide variety of offenses. Trespassing, harassment towards authority, vandalism, and sexual assault." My jaw dropped open at what I just heard. To my left, I heard Kaito stifling his growing snickers. Meiko shot him a glare and jabbed him in the ribs.

I stared at Rin in disbelief. How could someone looking so sweet and _innocent_ be capable of all those offenses?

"Not only that, Rin-san managed to make a complete mess inside the kitchen in the senior hall, the cook is very upset. I hear she chased after her with a broom, which is also unacceptable, however, I'm sure I would be upset if I found the entire kitchen splattered with food and sauces."

I almost gasped.

So that acrobatic thing in the cafeteria…?

It was Rin?

"I-" I started, only to be cut off.

"I could care less of such rumors have been swarming around this school, Kagamine-kun." Headmaster said. "But I am not appreciative of the catastrophes your sister has been causing us today." I froze at the last part.

Did he just say…

"Sister?" I repeated stupidly, staring confusedly at the headmaster, who furrowed his eyebrows in response.

"Yes. Rin is your sister, correct? Your brother, Kaito confirmed this earlier." For a moment, I was speechless, then I felt my entire brain freeze.

"Kaito…?" I turned to Kaito, who averted my questioning gaze. I stared at him for a while before starting to feel a rush of heat travel to my head. He _lied_? And twisted what I had just said earlier at lunch?

"Yes, that's correct." Mom suddenly spoke up, causing to turn back to her in shock. She appeared firm, serious. My insides froze. Confusion fluttered around and about inside me.

What…

The academy director gave a slow nod. "I see." He spoke, directing his attention to my mom, "Then Ms. Kagamine, you are aware of the situation your daughter has laid out?"

"Yes, Director-san. I am very much aware." Mom answered in a clear voice. "And I assure you that I'm very ashamed for trouble my daughter caused you, but please don't place the blame on her brother; he had nothing to do with it." I stared wide-eyed in disbelief at my mother.

Did she hear what she was _saying_?

Just yesterday, she was denying to the reporters that Rin was related to us! Now she was confirming it even further? For a moment, the headmaster studied my mother's face before sighing.

"I see." I grit my teeth, slumping back into my seat.

What was going on? If mom was confirming _now_, why hadn't she said anything to me? And what about Kaito? Why had he lied about it too?

I allowed myself to sink even further in the seat.

Were the rumors about Rin being really being related to us actually true then? Was she really my long, lost twin? I stole a glance at her, who was still flipping Headmaster's braid with great interest. I personally didn't think we looked that much alike. We were both blondes, true, and we both had pale skin, blue eyes, and skinny frames… but other than that, we couldn't be fooled as 'twins.'

We didn't go _that_ far, right?

"Rin-chan is a very shy girl, she's homeschooled, but it seems she's been missing Len-kun a lot lately.." Mom said, smiling weakly. "So she decided to sneak out and visit him… eh heh… isn't that right, Kaito-kun?" I whipped to Kaito, who nodded while still trying to avoid looking at me. I frowned. "Right, Len-kun?" I turned to mom, who was smiling anxiously at me.

Homeschooled?

I knew for sure that one was a lie. Rin's only stayed with us for two days, so how could she've been homeschooled at the time?

Just as I was about to reject, I stopped. As I looked at mom, I could see a swarm of emotions clouding her eyes. Exhaustion, apprehension, and guilt. Her eyes were silently pleading with me to agree, even if I didn't want to.

"… Yeah." I finally sighed in defeat. I didn't like being pulled into this. What about Rin? Didn't she have a say in this? I didn't even know what was going on. But when I saw the gratified look cross my mother's face, I suddenly didn't feel so taken advantage of.

Headmaster's gaze flickered back and forth between us, then, he sighed. "Alright then." He patted Rin's shoulder, indicating her to get off.

"I'll discharge her Rin-san of her fines…" Headmaster said smoothly, "_however,_" His dark eyes flashed. "Mid-terms are coming, and all students must direct their focuses on their studies and classes. Because of the attention Rin-san has drawn, useless excitement has been stirred. While I greatly sympathize what the Kagamine family is going through, I have no care whatsoever in having Seija Academy involved in public matters."

I frowned, feeling somewhat annoyed. I stole a glance at Mom, she looked slightly agitated as well but held her tongue.

"Furthermore, I'd like to make a proposition." The academy director stated, hanging back in his chair.

Mom furrowed her eyebrows, folding her arms neatly in her lap. "Oh? And what exactly do you have to offer?"

"As said before, your daughter's offenses will be set aside." Headmaster said to Mom, "In return, she isn't to step a foot back in Seija Academy." Rin, who now stood standing at the side of the academy director, looked confusedly at him.

"Seija Academy?" Rin repeated. Headmaster glanced sideways to look at her, his stern exterior softening.

"For how long?" Kaito suddenly cut in, leaning forward. "You've obviously taken a liking to Rin, sir, if you don't mind me pointing out." Headmaster turned to the blue-haired idiot, from what I could see, he was fighting back a small smirk.

"Ah, it seems I've been caught." Headmaster gave a dramatic sigh, fanning out his long dark hair. "Oh well, HAHAHA~!" I twitched, staring at my principal in dumbfounded silence.

Why the sudden change of mood...?

"But you're correct." Headmaster stated, smiling. He patted Rin, who was now fumbling with the orange in her hand. "Normally, if an actual student were to cause this much trouble in a strict academy with its deserving reputation for almost fifteen years, the outcome would never apply to merciful standards. But once I feel things have settled down, you may allow her to be enrolled here." He directed his gaze to me, making me flinch slightly.

"Sir?" I asked carefully, unsure of what he was going to say.

"As head of this academy, I shouldn't be saying this… but I find your twin sister rather charming, just like what I see in you, Len Kagamine. I favor the both of you." I blinked, surprised. I honestly wasn't expecting praise. I couldn't help the smile that itched onto my face.

"Th-Thank you, sir!" I said, grinning.

"Orange!" Rin exclaimed aloud, causing us to turn. She was holding up the orange, which was now split in half, in the air. She glanced at me, practically jumping over the table to meet me. "Orange!" She thrust out the fruit to me.

I blinked. "Y-Yeah… you're right, Rin..." I smiled nervously, trying to lean back from our sudden closeness.

"Len! Here!" Rin continued to push the fruit in my face, making me wince slightly from its stingy impact.

"You want me to take it?" I asked, glancing up at Rin. She stared at me for a moment, then held out the orange even further.

"Orange, here!" She insisted, puffing out her cheeks. "Len, here!" I couldn't help but chuckle, she acted like such a kid...

I took the orange from her with a chuckle. "Thanks, Rin." I told her, smiling.

Rin stared at me in reply, as if studying my face. "…"

"Your mother has informed me of your doctor's appointment, Len and Kaito." Headmaster suddenly said. "So you both are excused from school today." I quirked an brow. Doctor's appointment? What doctor's appointment? I didn't remember being scheduled for-…

Dell?

Kaito's dad, Dell, is our family doctor.

"Thank you, Director-san." Mom abruptly broke in, standing up and gathering her things. "We'll be taking our leave, come along, Len-kun, Kaito-kun." She gave the headmaster a big, flashy grin before ushering Rin along. Kaito and I stood up as well, following after her. Mom cast Meiko a friendly nod before heading out the door. "Bye, Meiko-chan~ come stop by our house later, okay?"

And we exited the door.

* * *

**Kaito's POV**

Shota had finally burst after we climbed into the car, now, we were on our way home. From what I could tell, Nami was obviously exhausted from all the attention the media's been giving her, but he decided now was the right time to throw a bitchfit.

"Honey…" Nami started wearily, her pale face looking even paler.

"No, mom. I want answers." Len spoke hastily, looking downright pissed. "What was Rin doing at the school and _why _is she wearing my spare uniform? Better yet, why are we labeled twins now?" Nami gave him a weary, desperate look.

"_Len-kun_-"

"Or is it true? Is she really my sister after all? My long lost twin? Were we separated at birth then?"

"Honey…" Nami groaned, "No. Of course not, Rin-chan isn't blood-related to us."

"Then why did you lie to Headmaster?"

"I know you're upset, baby. But _please_ don't argue with me now…" Nami pleaded, "I'm really exhausted." Looking back from the shotgun seat, I could see Len gritting his teeth in annoyance. On the other side, Rin was staring out the window, engrossed by the sight of the passing vehicles.

I sighed, trying my best to calm him down. "Look, we know you're pissed. But it's complicated." Len glared.

"YOU, _PERSON OVER THERE. S_hut up and turn around." A vein popped inside my head, causing me to glare back.

"Hey, brat! That's no way to talk to your older brother!" I snapped, raising a fist at Len.

Len's glare hardened. "Don't act as if you've done nothing wrong! I heard what Headmaster said, you lied about me and Rin being twins too, so you just made everything worse! I'm surprised you still call yourself family!"

"I-…!" I sputtered, red-faced. "I had a good reason for it! Besides, I wasn't the one flirting with pigtails while Rin was wandering around the school, impersonating _you_!" Len drew back, embarrassed.

"D-Don't… bring Miku into this!" He looked to the side, blushing. Rin suddenly perked up, turning to us with a curious expression on her face.

"Mi… ku?" Rin asked, tilted her head sideways. I rose a brow, so she reacted to the name? A sly grin spread across my face.

"That's right, Rin." I drawled, giving her a wink. "Miku is the girl Len-sama likes~… a lot." At this, Len's face flushed a deep red.

"S-Stop it! You're changing the subject!" Len sputtered, blushing and waving his arms around. I grinned even further, apparently, he forgot Rin had no clue whatsoever what we were talking about, much less understand us. I decided to use this advantage.

"Did you know a few months ago, he ran into a wall because he was too busy looking at her _huuuuuge_-"

"KAITO, SHUT THE HELL UP!"

I snickered.

Rin was switching her quizzical gaze back and forth at the both of us. Then, she turned back to the window, now uninterested with us. "Anyway, mom, what's going on? Why did Rin come to our school?" Len demanded, in attempt to push back the side conversation.

Nami sighed, stopping at a red traffic light.

"This morning, when she woke up and found out you and Kaito-kun already left for school, she got really upset and started begging me to let me see you. I explained that was impossible, seeing those reporters were crowding around the mansion and the fact she was still damaged from yesterday's incident." I rolled my eyes. Rin really was clingy to Len, going so far as to sneak out of the mansion, disguised as him. I would've found it annoying.

"When I left her alone to rest, she came back downstairs dressed as you." Nami sighed again, rubbing at her eyes. "Rin-chan even copied that little ponytail of yours. I really thought she was you, Len-kun…" She clutched her forehead, moaning slightly. "I'm going to have a headache…" I stole a glance at Len, who was listening carefully.

"Go on."

"I just assumed you were running late, that Kaito-kun left you, so I drove her to your school. When I got back, I was so occupied with tax files and phone calls, that I forgot to check up on her upstairs. And when I finally did…"

Nami banged her head against the steering wheel.

"So you're saying… she was looking for me?" I turned my head back to my kid brother. He looked awed, almost touched.

Pfft… he acted as if the president of Japan wanted to talk to him.

"That could be it." I yawned, stretching my arms out. "She obviously prefers you over all of us, so it's not really that surprising, like a dog following her master. Or that kiddie nursery rhyme… 'Mary had a Little Lamb?"

Len gave me a weird look. "What are you getting at?"

"Face it, the scenario matches." I explained, waving him off. "The lamb follows Mary to school, in this case, Rin's the lamb and you're Mary except you're not a girl- oh wait, yes you are. What the hell am I talking about?"

"Don't make me climb over there." Came the pissed reply.

"_A__nyway_…" I cleared my throat, knowing his threat was for real. "What other reason could there be? I mean, pfft, you think Rin would follow me? I'm a complete dumbass and she only uses me as her mule, so there's no way in hell that could happen. She trusts you more, so you're probably that reason." Len's annoyed look softened. Now he looked thoughtful, as if he were thinking deeply about what I just said.

"Yeah…"

A silence.

"The media certainly isn't letting down." Nami finally said after a few minutes. "Our phone's been ringing off the hook all morning, even Dell isn't catching a break. All these calls from newspapers, magazine companies, and news stations tie up our lines and we haven't been able to keep in touch with our clients. Everyone still wants to hear about Rin-chan…" A dark emotion flickered across Len's face. "I just hope things will calm down soon, all this attention is driving me crazy." My stepmother looked across to Len, suddenly appearing very firm. "Len-kun, remember when your headmaster said I told him about your doctor's appointment?"

"With Dell?"

My dad is a highly respected doctor. He used to serve the army as a medic. Now, he owns his own clinic, but he only treats our family for free.

"He wants to have a talk with you. About Rin-chan." Nami answered, looking dead-serious. I felt the color drain from my face. I knew where this was going… dad was going to tell Len everything about who Rin was.

A confused look crossed Len's face.

"About Rin? Why?"

"He knows who she is." Seeing the dumbstruck expression that took over Len, I felt my insides grow cold. I looked over to Rin, who looked so innocently curious as she watched the flying cars past. I looked back at Len, sympathy washing over me.

The truth about Rin would leave him _traumatize__d_.

* * *

**Len's POV**

Dell was already waiting for us when we came in the front doors. His red eyes radiating seriousness, and a narrow sort of sharpness that signified a cunning calmness. Behind me, Rin was peeking at him, curious. Mom brushed past me and headed towards the kitchen, clutching her head.

I turned back to Dell, trying to read his thoughts.

"Len, Kaito. Come with me, bring Rin." Was all he said to us, calmly walking up the stairs. Doing the only thing I could do, I followed, with Kaito and Rin trailing along. As we walked up the long flight of stairs, I became absorbed my own thoughts.

What did Dell know about Rin? What did he find out?

When we reached the hall, my curiosity built up. Where was Dell leading us? Finally, we reached the door to his study, which was on the second floor. I was surprised when he actually opened the door for us, I had never gone inside there once. Even though I spent most of my life living inside this mansion, Dell's study was never a room I explored, it was included when he and my mom married.

"Go ahead." Dell said, nonchalantly ushering me inside, Rin and Kaito following behind. At first, it was all too dark for me to see anything until Dell flipped on the lights.

Everywhere, the blue lights illuminated the vastness of the medium-sized room. There were two computers connected together in a corner of the room, papers were scattered everywhere and a large electrical fan hung on the ceiling. A large metal machine which was shaped like a chair, sat in the middle of the room, its cords connecting with the computers. Beside it was Dell's study desk, which had papers and an extra computer on it.

Instead of an office, the room somehow reminded me of a _lab_.

I stared, eyes wide. I had no idea all this was inside… and it was my house.

Dell strode towards the machine. Us, not knowing what else to do, followed. Dell patted the seat, looking at Rin.

"Rin?" She perked up. "Would you be so kind as to sit, please?" Dell patted the seat for her to sit on. She glanced down at the chair-shaped object, looking at all the wires.

"No sit." She answered, distrust evident in her eyes.

The gray-haired sighed. "Len, can you get her to sit?" I furrowed my eyebrows. Why would he want Rin sit on that _thing_…? It looked awfully suspicious, all that wiring and stuff… But I kept silent and nodded.

"Rin, sit." I patted the machine's seat, trying to coax her on. She frowned at me in disapproval, clearly not liking what I was telling her to do.

"No sit."

I sighed. She obviously didn't trust the machine either, though, who could blame her?

"Rin…"

"No sit!"

"C'mon Rin-"

"No! No sit! Rin not sit!" Rin huffed, turning away from me. I frowned. She was so stubborn… I traveled around her.

"Rin…" I drawled when I came face-to-face with her, she flinched, trying to stare me down. "_Please_ sit down?" She stared at me for a moment, still frowning.

"N-... No?" A smile on my face grew. She was beginning to falter. I hopped onto the machine myself.

"See? It doesn't hurt." I raised my hands, indicating nothing was wrong. Rin stared at me, still doubtful. I hopped off, "Please sit down, Rin?" I gestured to the chair. Rin hesitated, switching her gaze back and forth between me and the chair-shaped machine. Then, she slowly crawled into the seat, watching us closely.

"She obeys you… interesting." Dell commented after she had climbed in, sounding impressed. He took a colored headset, pushing it onto Rin's head before she could react. A screen popped up above the machine, its whirring noises startling Rin.

"Now," The gray-haired man began seriously, looking directly at me. "It's about time I should discuss this, about Rin. You especially should know about her, Len. So listen carefully." For some reason, anxiety began to build up inside me.

"… I'm listening." I struggled to appear firm, but inside, I was worried.

"I've already told Kaito and your mother about Rin, they seem to be taking it hard…" Dell gestured over to Kaito, who flinched at the mention of his name.

"We are, dad. I can tell you that." Dell turned back to me, the seriousness in his eyes growing more intense.

"You may not like the news… but it's something I should get off my chest." He stopped, looking back at Rin. "But the truth is..." He paused dramatically, making me feel as if my heart were about to burst.

"Rin is a cyborg."

. . .

It took a moment for me to register what Dell just said before gaping at him.

A… A _cyborg_? As in a living machine?

_Rin_?

I nearly fell back in shock. Before I could do so however, he started speaking again. "Seven years ago, I worked inside Crypton Future Media, Japan's highest technologic company. That was when Crypton's CEO, Leon Takashi launched Project: VOCALOID."

Project...

"VOCALOID." I uttered, starting to feel-lightheaded.

"Yes." Dell nodded, "The plan to create the ultimate human base enhanced through computers, a hybrid between the two most powerful forces in the world. The perfect fusion of technology and nature." He paused. Beside me, Kaito was listening, stone-faced. "The president of Japan rejected this project however, and disbanded most of Crypton's scientists."

Rin was poking at the headset, oblivious to what was going on.

"The company's CEO, however, refused to abandon the project, and fled to Germany instead to complete the creation, I, being along the disbanded members of Crypton, stayed in Japan…. Now, seven years later… she appears." He gestured towards Rin, making my eyes widen even further.

"You mean…" I croaked, feeling my voice leave me. I realized the metal inscription on Rin's back, the one that had read 'VOCALOID.'

No way.

"Rin is the finished development of Project: VOCALOID. She is Project Rin, A.K.A., VOCALOID." Dell finished for me, nodding in affirmation. My jaw dropped open. Out of the corner of my eye, I could Kaito's eyes sharpen.

"So you're saying…" I finally said after regaining my voice."Rin is a _robot_?" I stole a glance at Rin, she was staring back at Kaito, tilting her head. Dell shook his head, fixing his glasses.

"No, not necessarily Rin's body is human… mostly."

"Mostly?"

Dell clicked a button on the screen, which transformed into a skeletal structure of Rin's body. He zoomed in on her torso. "She has internal organs, bones, and muscles, just like an ordinary human would have." He pointed to those parts of the body.

"But robotics are built along her nervous system, along her spine, which makes her senses _extremely _sensitive." He paused before continuing, "Cybernetic cells and various steels are also embedded inside her bones and muscle tissue, allowing her to bypass the normal standards of human strength." Then, he dragged the mouse towards her head, where her skull was. "Finally comes the brain; part of it is made up of computer mechanics, so she is gifted with extraordinary intelligence. According the computer, she has an I.Q. of about… 300."

_300?_

My jaw dropped open in shock.

"So while she can only fully comprehend the language of German, as was her birthplace took place, it seems she's adapting to Japanese rather quickly." Dell said, turning back to me. I nodded. He was right. It was actually surprising how _fast_ Rin was starting to speak more Japanese by the day.

"No ordinary human could do that. At this rate, she could interact with us in four months or less." I blinked.

Four months or less?

That was pretty fast.

"Wow…" I mustered, looking at the ground. I never would've guessed Rin to be like that… being a company project...? Then, something hit me. "Wait," I abruptly said, looking straight at Dell, "If Rin was 'developed' in Germany and all that… what is she doing here in Japan?" His crimson eyes narrowed into slits.

"That I cannot answer. I haven't been in contact with Crypton Future Media for seven years, so I wouldn't know their current status. Nor do I have any knowledge whatsoever of their whereabouts."

So that was it?

"… Does Rin know about this? About herself?" I asked, looking back at Rin. The gray-haired man pulled up the screen again, zooming into her skull.

"You see that?" He pointed to a small metal part at the back of her brain, apparently, shards of it had been shattered. I nodded. "That small computerized part connects to her brain, but it's been severely fractured, making her suffer from memory damage."

I frowned, glancing back at Rin. She was continuously clicking the buttons on the machine, trying to see what would happen. Kaito had to travel around to stop her.

So she has no clue who she is?

"Her distrust towards other people can prove as a sign, a natural symptom of memory loss. But for some strange reason, she's become rather attached to you…" I turned back to Dell.

"Rin's attached to me?"

Dell gave a solemn nod. "Yes. While she acts distant towards the rest of us, she seems eager to engage with you in close contact. You are special to her."

Awe washed over me. She really thought of me that highly? It made me feel content inside.

"Nami and I had a early discussion this morning. We've agreed to let Rin live inside the mansion, seeing how much the two of you have grown so close… _however_," Dell folded his arms across his chest, "As I said before, she is your responsibility. But I will point this out bluntly; you haven't been doing a good job of watching over her with the mall incident." The warm, content feeling disappearing, replacing it with guilt.

I still hadn't gotten over what happened at the mall. Rin had almost gotten _raped_ because of me.

I swallowed nervously, nodding. "But I'm sure you'll won't make that same mistake again anytime soon, am I correct?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Now look up at me." I snapped my head up, meeting Dell's solemn gaze. "Remember one thing Len: you must never tell anyone that Rin is the VOCALOID. If anyone asks, just say she's your twin sister." I rose an eyebrow.

"But that would be a lie, wouldn't it?" I asked.

Dell sighed. "Yes, it would be. But if anyone were to find out about Rin's abilities, they may want to use her for selfish uses. Nobody knows that someone like her exists, or is even capable of being created. Regarding her as a sister would be the safest cover for her. I've already announced it to the media."

I frowned again.

"You understand, Len? It's for your own safety."

I sighed, looking down at my shirt. I really didn't want to lie, especially about our family.

But…

I glanced over at Rin.

"… Yes, I understand." I sighed. The gray-haired man gave me a look of repproval, patting me on the back.

"Very good." Then, he ushered Rin out of the seat. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do. The media's attention towards us should die down shortly, so rest assured. Also, take care of her this time." We all nodded, starting out the door before Dell called out to me;

"Len?"

I turned, Rin stopping beside me, Kaito however, had already moved out of the room. "Yeah?"

For a moment, Dell just stared at the both us, then sighed. "... Never mind, you may go." I cocked an eyebrow, why did he bother even calling me in the first place? I shrugged it off and went outside the door with Rin tailing behind.

"Bunny-chan groped Luka, y'know." Kaito suddenly said, materializing beside me, throwing me off-guard.

"W-When were you there?" I demanded, pointing at him with a shaking finger. Kaito raised an eyebrow at me.

"Since always, little brother."

I rolled my eyes, then blinked. "... Wait, Rin groped Megurine-san?" In reply, Kaito flashed me a grin.

"Yup." The blue-haired idiot gave Rin's head a light chop. "She did it in the library while she was disguised as you. Everyone was sure fooled." He said, still grinning. "Looks like you're not the only pervert in the family, shoooota." I glared at him, blushing.

"Sh-Shut up! And don't call me that!" His grin widened.

"But yeah." Then, Kaito sighed, stretching his arms and loosening his shirt tie. "That was basically the same thing dad told me about rabbit girl, pretty crazy, huh? She's superhuman." Rin stared at him, scrunching her face in mild confusion at the mention of her name.

"Rabbit...?" Kaito smirked a little, reaching down to ruffle the top of her head.

"Ne, bunny-chan... what dad said about you, it's pretty weird stuff. As if you being a screaming foreigner weren't enough, we find out you're a computerized human base created from Japan's former best-selling company."

Rin stared.

"But you know what?" Kaito's grin returned, "I like you anyway. You're cool. Welcome to the family." Then, he stepped back, starting down the stairs, then stopped. "Yo, Len? Don't get _too_ attached with that pet of yours." I shot him an annoyed look.

"Just leave." Laughing, my blue-haired idiot of a brother headed downstairs. "Man..." I sighed, lightly banging my head the door to Dell's study when it closed. "What a day." I glanced over at Rin, sighing again. "... You're really something, aren't you, Rin? A _cyborg_. Of all things."

Of course, she answered with a confused stare. "... Orange?"

I stared at her for a moment, then chuckled.

Even if she was... this 'VOCALOID' or whatever Dell called it, to me, she was just Rin. Cyborg or not, it didn't matter. Even if the whole truth was surprising itself, I honestly didn't feel that much different about her.

I turned to her, patting her head. "You'll always be Rin no matter what, won't you?" I said, chuckling at her regular blank expression. "Someday we'll know each other a lot better... and you'll be a lot more comfortable around us. Soon, you'll be laughing and smiling..." I flashed her a friendly smile.

"Like this, see?"

For a moment, Rin just stared at me. Then her lips slowly curved upward and her teeth began to shine through. My eyes widened and I could feel myself gaping at Rin.

She's _smiling._

It was the first time I've actually seen Rin smile like that. She looked a lot happier now. Compared to the usual blank or curious expressions I've seen so far, seeing her smile like that, she was just... cute.

The color began to rise in my cheeks as she continued to flash me that sincere, innocent smile of hers. Still, it felt made me feel really happy to see her do that for the first time, it meant she was finally getting used to us. And it also meant she still trusted me even after what happened at the mall yesterday, right?

The thought made me warm up inside, I soon myself grinning back. Then, she perked up, still smiling.

"Orange!" Immediately, Rin took my hand in hers and dragged us down the stairs. "Orange! Len! Orange!" I was hardly paying attention though, glancing down at our joined hands. I felt my insides heat up a little, then, I gently pressed back as we rushed down the stairs.

I wanted to see Rin's smiles everyday from now on.

* * *

**General POV**

Dell sighed, pressing his face against his hands. He was probably putting his family in a tight spot, glancing back at his laptop, he read the files over and over again. "Project Rin... huh." He murmured, fixing his glasses.

A small boy appearing about the age of 5, with choppy green hair and wearing a neat vest and a pair of what looked like summer shorts, came out from hiding among the shadows.

"Dell Honne, former CEO of Internet Co., Ltd. The sister company of Crypton Future Media. Now a doctor of some reown." The boy's drone-like voice rang in the familiar language of Japanese. The man almost smiled to himself, for he had known the little machine had transformed into his 2nd form when he had the chance.

"GachapoidR3000." The gray-haired man drawled without even glancing up. "You know of me?" Gachapoid narrowed his eyes, folding his small arms across his chest.

"You think I wouldn't recognize the face of one of my creators? The trusted partner of Project: VOCALOID?"

Dell rose to his feet, it was his turn to narrow his eyes. "That was a long time ago, I've retired." He answered back sharply, almost glaring at him through his thick-rimmed glasses.

"Well, might I be so bold enough to ask why you insist on allowing Project Rin to stay here?" The machine-like boy countered, "She doesn't belong here, you should be aware of that. You're endangering your own family." A dark emotion flashed briefly before Dell's face before it contorted to a look of regret.

Gachapoid's frown deepened.

"Her memories are severely damaged. She can't remember who she is at all, and she can barely remember her own name. Not only that, but that corruption has caused her to forget that I am her operated servant. That's dangerous for her, for all of us." Dell sighed, nodding.

"I agree."

"You haven't even mentioned her VOCALOID mode. You _know_ how deadly it is when it activates inside her, horrible stuff could happen. Just like what happened to those rapists-"

"I know."

Gachapoid stopped speaking at the sudden interruption.

"I am very aware of the dangers, Gachapoid. I assure you." Dell said.

The little boy kept silent for a moment, then nodded. A bright flash of green light filled the study before fading, the lad had morphed back into his original form as a small, metal machine.

_"You're putting your life at risk and you know it."_ The operated machine stated, speaking German this time. "_So explain, why are you allowing her to stay here?"_ He asked, hovering directly in front of the man.

A tired sigh escaped from the former CEO.

_"I made a promise."_

* * *

**A/N:** The serious stuff has FINALLY BEGUN! Chapter ten will be a good one, I feel it inside~ Oh, and considering I've been writing this up at 1:00 in the morning, I'd REALLY appreciate the reviews... yup, there'll be some tension in the next chapter. So, you like? PLEASE REVIEW!

Oh, the popularity results will be revealed in the next chapter for then~ so get your votes in before it's too late! Vote for your favorite characters on "Project: VOCALOID"! Stay tuned and review~ comments, praise, criticisism... it's all welcome in here, so share the love! **^_^**

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	10. Dear You

A/N: Waaah! I am so sorry, everyone! I was grounded for an entire week so I couldn't type out the chapter as fast as I planned. Going days without internet access is a nightmare come true! **T-T** But I friggin' LOVE Teto, she's so darn cute in this chapter, of course she'll be more hilarious throughout the story.

A big thanks for reviewing;

**Chikanpo, Mizuki Kagamine, ChocoCookiePuff, anime4youandme, WanderingSoulofTime, SuperCrazedKITTY, Moose, SeacatTopaz, oneoftheseven, orangesky3, Apollamarine, Shadow Fox777, ilooovejirachi, Lria, XxX-Miki-chan-XxX, Hikari No Destany, Bluejay92, alphaprincess0803, elenor anderson, rrndomfan, fujingodofwind, Mr. 99, and CrazyPigtailedGirl!**

Also, I'd like to advertise Miko A. Kimura's new story~ _"Two Sides of the Devil's Coin_". Be sure to read it up!

**Disclaimer: **I do own the Vocaloids. In my dreams. **XD**

**Warning: **This content contains **mild swearing**and **suggestive themes**. Welcome to this page.

**Bold: **Stands for specific meanings, and so on. (Note that Rin can now understand Japanese.)

_Italics: _Stands for _German_, insane yelling, chemical equations, trance-like dreams/flashbacks, and specific words.

GO!

* * *

**General POV**

"Mmm…" A girl in her early teens, blond and petite, unconsciously tossed around in the bed, murmuring incoherent words in her sleep.

Her name was Rin. And she was currently roomed in one of the guest rooms of the giant Kagamine mansion, which had generously been converted as her official room. Her robotic butler, GachapoidR3000 hovered above her, sighing in exasperation at the lazy sight he had grown accustomed to

Almost two months ago, his mistress was taken in by one of the Japan's wealthiest families: the Kagamines. Everything came to a twisting turn upon media's assumption of her as the illegitimate daughter of Nami Kagamine (ex-top model in Japan; she had even scored a place in the Paris Collections) after a certain mall scandal, which eventually led to her true identity as a VOCALOID, the finished product of Japan's former best-selling technologic company 'Crypton Future Media' as explained by Dell Honne.

But even after discovering _what_ Rin represented, the Kagamines continued to accept her. As of now, she was an official part of their family. At first she was cautious and catlike of them but eventually warmed up to their affections within the weeks; she would often follow them around inside the mansion, her trust was finally gained. And despite being German-raised, she quickly adapted to their culture within the short span of two months.

Two months. And she _still _couldn't wake up at the right time in the morning. A large drop of sweat appeared at the back of Gachapoid's head.

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEEEEEEEP!_

A strange, inhumane shriek pierced the air, which startled the normally calm robot. Rin, on the other hand, jolted and toppled off the bed in alarm, giving a shriek of her own:

"HYAAAAAAAN!"

_CRASH!_

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 10**

_**Dear You**_

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* * *

**Kaito's POV**

_"HYAAAAAAN!"_

I nearly choked on the milk I was drinking when a girly, ear-ringing scream erupted from upstairs. A large crashing noise soon followed, making the ceiling rumble. Nami and Shota, who were both taken off-guard as well, glanced up in wonder.

_CRASH!_

"_ES LEBT! T__Ö__TET IHN, GACHA! T__Ö__TET IHNNN!"_

More crashing.

…

…

… And that had to be the fifth time rabbit girl broke another one of our alarm clocks. I drank up the rest of the milk, shuddering.

Five alarm clocks in the past two months, the kid was aiming for a place in the record book.

"Goodness. Sounds like Rin-chan got off on the wrong side of the bed this morning." Nami remarked amusingly from the stove, stirring whatever she was cooking. Len frowned, glancing down at his half-eaten breakfast.

"Don't you think we should just wake up her up ourselves from now on?" He asked, poking at his eggs.

I chuckled. "Nah. It's fine as long as she doesn't break anything else-" Then glass shattered from upstairs.

That did it.

Len and I bolted from our chairs and rushed up the stairs. "Rin!" Len shouted in a worried tone. When we got to the door, he practically busted the door open. Glass pieces were everywhere, blankets were thrown in a disarray. Rin, her back to us, faced a broken window and shook uncontrollably. It was a dramatic sight. Our jaws slacked open. She had thrown the alarm clock out the window…

As if sensing our presence, Rin whipped around. Her eyes were big and her lower lip began to tremble. "L-Len! Len!" She rushed forward and grabbed the ends of Len's uniform shirt, hopping up and down restlessly in her orange pajamas. "Scary, Len! It was scary!"

Ah, I mention Rin's Japanese really improved? Like _reeeally_ improved? Since two months ago, everyone in the family pitched in to help her learn our language. Being the super-smart VOCALOID (or whatever it dad called it) she caught on pretty fast.

All those painful, long hours of language lessons had finally paid off. Rin could communicate with us now. Of course, that didn't mean her Japanese skills were _perfect_. Sometimes she still has trouble speaking or fully understanding our conversations and would just shut down, not talking for the rest of the day. (Not that it mattered much though, considering the fact she was quiet).

"Great. This is gonna take forever to clean up." I said, glaring around at the glass pieces. "For god's sake, Rin, that was the third alarm clock this month. They don't eat you or anything like that. Don't you know that by now?" Rin recoiled back in embarrassment, starting to sulk . She began to tug even harder at Len's shirt, as if begging for help. On cue, he shot me a hard look.

"Quit picking on her. She still hasn't gotten used to some things." Shota scolded me sternly. He turned to Rin and his expression softened. "Don't listen to that idiot. We know you can't help it." I snorted.

A slight hiccup escaped from Rin, whe shook her head defensively. Her cheeks were flushed, and her sea-blue eyes began to water. Guilt written all over her face, she looked like a puppy who had been caught doing something bad. She bowed multiple times in embarrassment before giving us a look so innocent, I could feel my inner walls crashing.

Damn this.

Here she was, acting all sweet after she just threw an alarm clock out the window, and I was going all soft again. I whapped a hand to my forehead in frustration. Len's face softened even further. "Hey, cheer up. We're not mad. We just worried you might've gotten hurt." He whipped to me, "Right, Kaito?" I froze when Rin's teary gaze snapped to me, eyes watering even more.

... Damn this again.

I've gone _way_ too soft these past few weeks, what happened to my manly pride?

"Oh, fine. Whatever." I muttered, the heat rising in my face. "Just make sure she cleans up that mess before we leave." I said, storming out of her orange and white-printed room, kicking the throw pillows on my way out.

For the past two months, things became really different since the truth about Rin was revealed. About her being a cyborg. After the media had finally let up about Rin's situation, she was officially labeled as Len's younger twin sister. Afterwards, Meiko called and demanded to know what happened to Rin, when I couldn't reply, she came over herself. After two hours of trying to pry Meiko out, dad finally decided to reveal Rin's identity to her, stating she had the right to know since we've been good friends with her family for years.

Meiko was shocked at first, but continued to accept Rin. She also promised not to tell anyone else about who bunny-chan was, and that she would pretend Rin and Len were twins too.

Since the incident, Nami and Dad kept a sharp eye on her when shota and I left for school. They wouldn't allow her to step outside the mansion or even go near a window until we got home. Of course, there were times she was rebellious enough to try and sneak out, only to be stopped by the security system dad installed around the place, much to her frustration.

But that didn't mean rabbit-chan lost complete interest in exploring the mansion. While she couldn't go outside the mansion's quarters, Nami would take her out to the open land, where she used the nature in her paintings. She stated Rin really liked it there, and we'd often find her stalking small animals or watering the gardens. But whenever Len got home, she'd stop whatever she was doing and come to greet him.

These past weeks of having Rin staying with us, it was almost as if she were a real part of our family. Nami was still in the kitchen when I walked in. "Has the situation been taken care of?" She asked, cheerful in contrast of my spoiled mood.

"Rabbit girl broke a window this time." I grumbled, leaning against the counter. Nami didn't look the least bit angry.

"My, sounds like we'll have to call the repairman." The blond woman answered good-naturedly, taking a sip from the soup she was stirring. I quirked a brow.

Why wasn't she upset?

The Nami I knew would never let the case of a broken window slide. Instead, the woman I was talking to had wide smile stretched across her face, looking as if she didn't give a damn. "Oh. Could you please bring Rin-chan and Len-kun down here? I have something to show you all." Shrugging, I went back to the stairs and called their names, hearing their footsteps come afterwards.

"Now, I have a surprise for all of you~. Especially for you, Rin-chan." Nami stated, grinning. She strode over the pantry, opening the door. Then she swung out the unknown object before our eyes.

"Ta-da~! Surprise!"

Nami held out a female sailor uniform that belonged to the Seija Academy. It was black and white, the signature colors for the freshman outfit, similar to the one Len was wearing only it was included with a skirt… the female version of it.

It was Rin's uniform.

I gaped at Nami in shock. "Are you out of your mind?" I recalled the last time Rin visited our school, dressed up as Len and causing full-drawn attention in the entire building. Nami gave me a pout, which looked strange for her age to be doing that.

"Out of my mind? That's a rather hurtful thing to say, Kaito-kun." Nami disapprovingly clucked her tongue at me before turning to the pair of surprised blonds. "Director-san mailed this to us just yesterday~! It came with a note saying Rin-chan could attend Seija Academy now! Isn't that wonderful?" Rin, who had been staring at the uniform with wide eyes, looked down at the floor.

"She can go with us?" Shota asked, excitement evident in his voice. He looked back at Rin, smiling. "Wow! That's great, Rin. You'll get to see Meiko-nee a lot more now." She gave a small nod in reply, still staring at the floor. Nami clapped her hands together in excitement.

"Wonderful~! I've already enrolled you, Rin-chan. So just go upstairs and change." Nami shoved the clothes into Rin's arms and hurried her up the stairs. "Come back down when you're ready!" Len sat back in the chair, then, as if remembering something, a slight frown crossed his face.

"Wait. What about her Japanese? Won't she have a hard time with that while we're at school?" Len asked, crossing his arms over his shota-built chest.

Nami waved him off. "Oh, no one needs to worry about that anymore. She can communicate with us now so why would it matter? Besides it's about time Dell and I gave her some freedom, Rinnie can't stay cooped up inside here forever. And she's been such a sweetheart~ Did I mention she gave me a back massage once while I was painting? It was heavenly~."

I frowned. "The old man agreed to this?" There he went again. Keeping things from me until the last minute.

Some father I have.

Sensing my discomfort, Nami quickly explained. "We were planning to announce it earlier, but then Dell got called into the office. And I just thought to tell you later on." She looked over at Shota, smoothing out her jeans. "Since Rin-chan is still a tad bit shy around people, I convinced the Headmaster to give her the same class schedule as yours, that way you can help her to open up to some new friends. Can you do that for me, Lenny?" He nodded.

"Sure."

"THAT'S MY BABY~!" Nami squealed, planting a chaste kiss on the top of his head. "You're the one who she feels the most secure with after all, being the gentleman you are." That was another thing about Rin.

Out of all the people in this house, her favorite was Len. She was reluctant to talk sometimes since she still had trouble with Japanese, but always would be willing to try and communicate with Shota. She'd still follow him around like a faithful dog, and she'd get upset if someone else could grab his attention while she couldn't. "When Rin-chan comes back down, be sure to take the public bus on your way to school this time, okay? It's about time we did something to help the environment anyway." My jaw slacked open in horror.

"RIDE THE BUS?" I practically screamed, wide-eyed in shock. "Are you _crazy_?" Public transportation _sucked_. I always preferred riding on my motorbike wherever I went, even if it meant having Shota clinging to me on the twelve-minute drive to school, I much rather preferred that than being crammed with a mass of bodies in a single vehicle.

I enjoy my space, thank you very much.

Nami frowned at me. "We need to save up on gas. And even if I did allow you to take your bike instead, how would Rin-chan fit? There's only two seats."

I scoffed. "So she could ride on Shota's lap. Easy as that." Len shot me a glare, his cheeks starting to redden though.

"I-Idiot! That'd be dangerous!"

I rolled my eyes. "Don't deny it, shota. We all know you'd like it to happen."

"I'm nothing like you, so shut up!"

"What if people try to hurt Rin?" I whined to Nami, desperately trying to avoid riding the bus. "You know how crowded the bus gets."

"Hold hands with her until she gets to school. Or just make sure she's not near anyone suspicious." Nami said, finally starting to get impatient. "Look, just keep an eye on her and everything should be fine. And make sure she doesn't cause trouble for goodness sake."

"But-"

The blond woman's face turned cold and hard, cutting me off. Her eyes began to flare and her lips turned into a cold, firm line. I gulped.

"Take the bus. Or no ice cream for a month."

I paled.

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

**Len's POV**

"Ne," One girl whispered as we passed by, "Is that Rin Kagamine? The girl everyone's been talking about?"

"Uwaah! The twin sister of Len-kun? Hau~ she looks so much like him!"

Rin followed close behind me and Kaito, looking on any curious passerby. We had already checked her in, though Headmaster wanted to see her in person before finally letting us go.

Having Rin stay with us for the past two months, I learned a lot about her. It turns out she's just someone my age with a sense of morbid curiosity. She likes oranges, animals, playing games, and for some reason, gardens. She'd spend hours playing in the open land, even at night until we called her in.

"Whoa, check out the fresh meat." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a sophomore guy nudge his friend's arm, whistling at Rin. "Dude, isn't she cute?" I felt my right eyebrow twitch.

"Yeah. Looks like a freshman, but wow, those legs…"

Rin was dressed in the black-and-white female sailor uniform with a bow draping across the border. A full black skirt flowed around her legs, swaying. Her giant white bow was pinned on top of her soft hair, flopping around as she moved. Then, she stopped and turned around, facing the sophomores in innocent confusion. Seeing they had her attention, they both grinned. Suggestively, I might add.

I narrowed my eyes. Perverts like them would only take advantage of Rin's innocence. As far as my brotherly instinct went, I immediately pulled her towards me, protectively wrapping an arm around her shoulders. I felt their prickling glares on my back, but at least Rin was safe.

As we continued down the halls, more people were looking at us, noticing Rin. I sighed.

Maybe I had been wrong after all…

"Kaito! Len!… OH MY GOD, RIN-CHAN!" A familiar voice shouted in the distance. We looked ahead. It was Meiko. She was running towards us full-speed with a look of excitement. Before we knew it, she had tackled Rin in a bear hug. "Ooooooh! I can't believe it! I get to see you here too?" She released her hold on her, her eyes growing wide at the sight of her uniform. "Wait, what's with the Seija outwear? You don't go to this school…?" She glanced questioningly at me and Kaito.

"Headmaster said she could enroll here now." Kaito answered, shrugging. "He mailed us her uniform just yesterday."

Meiko blinked. "Really?" Then she turned back to Rin, grinning. "Woo! I'll get to see Rinnie everyday from now on!" She gave her another squeeze, one so tight she could scarcely breath.

"Meiko, she's dying already. Let her go." Kaito cut in, crossing his arms.

Meiko gave him a pout, then a sly grin swept over her features. "Aw~ is Kaito-kun jealous 'cuz he didn't get a hug?" Kaito nearly fell backwards, gaping at her.

"A... Are you for _real_?"

The brown-haired senior rolled her eyes, scoffing. Then, she switched her gaze back to Rin. "So, kiddo, who's your first teacher?"

Rin blinked. "Chem…" She struggled to speak the language, "Chemis…" Meiko cocked a brow.

"Chemis…?"

"Chemistry with Professor Gakupo." I answered quickly for her, knowing Rin's Japanese still needed work. "Actually, her entire schedule's the same as mine." Meiko shot me a look of surprise.

"The _entire_ schedule?"

"The entire schedule."

"Really now…" Meiko rested a finger on her chin thoughtfully, glancing up at the ceiling. "Hm…" Her gaze fell to Rin, who stared back in confusion, then at me. Back at Rin, back at me.

"Uh… Meiko-nee?" I finally asked, starting to get a little tired of her stares. "What-"

Meiko suddenly threw her head back, laughing and throwing us completely off-guard. "This'll be rich!" She clapped her hands together, wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes. "Ms. Diva's gonna have some competition with this one here!" she poked Rin before looking at me, grinning. "Have fun being pulled on both sides, Len-Len."

I quirked a brow in confusion.

What in the world was she talking about?

* * *

"Stand up!" Professor Gakupo's firm voice rang. Everyone stood up.

"Bow!"

We all did so, bowing in chorus. "Good morning!" Everyone echoed in unison.

"Be seated!" And we all sat down. In the front, I caught Miku's brief wave to me. I couldn't help but smile, blushing as I waved back. "Before we begin our lesson, I'd like to briefly note a transfer student." The purple-haired man announced, making everyone's side conversations drop to low whispers.

"Kagamine Rin?"

A hush befell the entire class as Rin cautiously made her way up the front, spinning around to face everyone. Her big, curious eyes scanned the room before shyly lowering to the ground with a faint blush on her face.

By now, everyone was silent.

"Please introduce yourself." The professor encouraged, making her flinch slightly.

"I…" Rin started in her usual soft voice, struggling to speak our tongue. "I- I am Kagamine Rin. And you all…" At that point, her sea-blue eyes began to water and she began to tremble. "Iampleasedtomeetyouall!" She ended the sentence with a low bow. I chuckled to myself.

Low murmurs began to rise, people exchanged curious glances and comments all while looking back at Rin.

Professor Gakupo nodded in approval, clapping his hands together once. "Well put, Kagamine-san. We'll be sure to remember you throughout the day. Please have a seat now." Rin nodded once, keeping her eyes down before rushing to the open seat two seats ahead of me. Students' eyes followed after Rin, I couldn't help but notice Miku's head turn as well, a deep expression engraved on her porcelain face, as if critically examining Rin.

"Today, you're all going to learn about thermodynamics." Everyone groaned, the professor's eyebrows twitched in annoyance, sighing, he smoothed on the long purple ponytail on his back. "I understand everyone is a little overexcited, but please compose yourselves." He continued onto the lesson. "The starting point for most thermodynamic considerations are the laws of thermodynamics, which postulate that energy can be exchanged between physical systems as heat or work." He tapped the board. "They also postulate the existence of a quantity named entropy, which can be defined for any isolated system that is in thermodynamic equilibrium." Everyone started flipping out their journals and writing entries in, I did the same. "In thermodynamics, interactions between large ensembles of objects are studied and categorized. Central to this are the concepts of system and surroundings." Then, I stopped, remembering Rin.

Had Headmaster given her the set of materials required?

I positioned myself a little higher above the other students' shoulders to see what Rin was doing, she had nothing to write on or with. "A system is composed of particles, whose average motions define its properties, which in turn are related to one another through equations of state. Properties can be combined to express internal energy and thermodynamic potentials, which are useful for determining conditions for equilibrium and spontaneous processes."

I frowned, sitting back down. I didn't have any spare notebooks to give her. And I also knew I'd get in trouble for walking around for no reason. Then again, she probably didn't understand what the professor was saying anyway.

"Thermodynamic potentials are different quantitative measures of the stored energy in a system." Professor Gakupo explained further, tapping the board with a single pencil. "Potentials are used to measure energy changes in systems as they evolve from an initial state to a final state. The potential used depends on the constraints of the system, such as constant temperature or pressure. For example, the Helmholtz and Gibbs energies are the energies available in a system to do useful work when the temperature and volume or the pressure and temperature are fixed, respectively." He wrote a formula on the board.

_{(Tds - pdV + Eh2__dN__i__)}_

I inwardly groaned, scribbling down the notes. I barely understood what the guy was talking about. Thermodynamics…? When did those even occur in chemical reactions?

"That is a pure example of internal energy. One of the four most well-known thermodynamic potentials on earth-"

"Sir?" A soft voice interrupted, causing the professor to turn around. We all turned to who the voice belonged to.

It was Rin's.

"Yes, Kagamine-san?"

"Y… You are incorrect." Small gasps erupted in the entire room. I was practically knocked speechless out of my chair.

Had Rin just…? Did she accuse of the professor of being incorrect?

The professor stared at Rin, completely caught off-guard. "Incorrect?" He repeated, raising trimmed purple brow. "By what means, Kagamine-san? Would you mind explaining?" She seemed to hesitate, turning back at me with pleading eyes. I shook my head in reply.

There was no way I could help her with this one.

Rin's shoulders drooped in disappointment. Unsurely, she looked back at Professor. "Go on, Kagamine-san, we're waiting." She didn't answer for a while, then, rose from her chair, walking to the board with unsteady steps.

"You said before there are four well-known thermodynamic potentials." Rin said to him, her Japanese coming out smoothly this time. The purple-haired professor nodded.

"That's right."

Again, Rin paused, back at the board. Then she turned to face the class. "But… there are _five_ common potentials in thermodynamics. Internal energy, Helmhotz free energy, enthalpy, Gibbs free energy, and Landau Potential." She spoke, picking up the chalk and writing the rest of the formulas on the board. It was as if she had suddenly become the teacher.

_U_ − _TS_

"An example of helmhotz free energy." Professor Gakupo stated, nodding.

_U + pV_

"Enthalpy."

_U_ + _pV_ − _TS_

"Gibbs free energy."

_U_ − _TS_ − Eμ_i__N__i_

"… Landau Potential." The professor uttered, his dark eyes running back to the board. "One, two, three, four… five." He stared at Rin, at a complete lost for words. She looked back at him in confusion. "… Y-… You're right." For the second time in a row, the entire class came to a complete hush. I gaped at Rin in shock.

"Well, I stand corrected!" Professor Gakupo announced, clapping his hands together both times. "I must've forgotten to take coffee this morning when I said there were four potentials, I mean to say 'five." He looked reprovingly at Rin with a new sense of awe. "Excellent work, Kagamine-san. Thank you for pointing that out." She nodded before heading back to her seat. Professor continued on with the lesson and everyone began writing notes again.

I stared at the back at Rin's head, awed. How did she know all that before the lesson even began? Then I remembered the time Dell mentioned she had an I.Q. of 300, that part of her brain was made up of computer parts.

I sighed, scribbling down entries in my journal.

If Rin could knew all this stuff beforehand, I was probably going to ask her for homework help later on.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

Students in PE period were scattered on the gym field, either doing strange activities or talking. Len was in the same class with me again, but he was on the other side of the field, playing what he called 'soccer.' I wanted to go over there, but five girls had blocked my path with eagerness bulging in their eyes as they continued their endless questions about myself or Len.

"Wow, Kagamine-san~! You look just like Len-kun!"

"What's your favorite color?"

"What's it like living with Len-kun and Kaito-senpai?"

It became much more easier for me to understand Japanese. All the credit goes to Mr. Dell, Nami, Kaito, and Len. They taught me how to understand many conversations. Though it was still difficult at times to speak it, communicating with them had become significantly less frustrating. (But I wasn't quite sure how I was able to speak so smoothly in my first class, explaining about thermodynamics.)

Gacha helped me a lot as well. I found myself enjoying his company. But today, I just wanted to see what it was like going to a school by myself, like a regular human. It took me a while to convince Gacha to allow me into Len and Kaito's school without him on guard.

"_WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE BACK TO THAT PLACE?"_

"_Gacha-"_

"_No!" The little machine puffed. "I can't allow it, mistress Rin. What about what happened last time? You got us all into deep trouble back then."_

"_But…! I know better now!" I pleaded with Gacha. "I made mistakes back then, but I'll be careful this time! Please Gacha!" For a moment, he hesitated. I saw this as a sign of hope, so I pressed on persuasively. "I want to see what it's like for humans to go to school, can't I…"_

_Gachapoid stared at me with his beady eyes, then sighed. "But it's dangerous, madam."_

"_Len and Kaito are with me! I'll be safe!" I answered hotly, "And Meiko-nee is there too! They won't allow me to get hurt!"_

_Gachapoid shook his entire structure. He sighed again. "… Oh, alright." He turned his beady eyes back at me. "But I'm going with you." I shook my head._

"_No, please. I would like to accompany myself."_

"_WHAT?" Gacha's voice reached a high level. "B-But, mistress Rin-"_

"_Gacha. As your mistress, I'm ordering you to stay here." I commanded, crossing my arms firmly. Gachapoid flinched, then sank to the ground in disappointment._

"_But what if something terrible were to happen to you if I'm not there?" The green robot asked in a quiet, trembling voice. "I'd never forgive myself…" Something strange came over me seeing Gacha's concern, I knelt down at his level and gathered his small structure in my hands._

"_I am very thankful to have someone so loyal stand by my side. To have you, who has such high concerns for my well-being. I thank you for that, Gachapoid." I said softly, patting the top of his head like Len would whenever I got frustrated. "Please won't you look at me?" Gacha slowly lifted his beady eyes to mine, listening. "I will be fine. Nothing will happen like last time." The small machine remained silent for a few moments._

_"Y__ou promise?"_

_I did a strange thing. I smiled._

"_Yes. I promise."_

_For a moment, Gachapoid studied me with a serious look on his metal face, then sighed. He floated out of my hands, composing himself. _"_Very well. Just go over the Japanese basics one more time with me before you leave."_

"What's it like having Len-kun as your brother? Is he nice?"

"Is it true you were adopted five times before coming to Japan?"

"Your hair's so soft and wispy! What kind of shampoo do you use?"

"And your skin is like, perfect! No acne or anything!"

"Your legs are so thin and bony! What's your secret?"

"I'm jealous. You have such small thighs, I'm a total fatso."

"Are you a model like your mom, Nami-Kagamine-san? You're both so pretty!"

"I wish I were cute like you..."

"Can you give me Kaito-senpai's phone number?"

"You're so thin! Do you eat at _all_?"

"Did you ever live in America?"

"What's your favorite animal?"

"Favorite color?"

"Do you like eating sushi?"

"Have you ever gone to Paris? It's really pretty there!"

"What's Len-kun's favorite food?"

"Does he like sweets?"

"Have you ever met Brad Pitt?"

"Have you EVER seen Justin Bieber?"

I frowned, trying to maintain politeness as Gacha taught me. Their questions came to no end, it was as if I were being interrogated. "Please, I-"

"MOVE IT! STEP ASIDE!" I jumped at the new voice added in at a high volume. A slim girl about my age pushed past the others, getting face-to-face with me. I blinked. She had long golden hair ferociously tied up at one side, her yellow eyes were catlike, shining like jewels.

She is _very _pretty, but...?

"Hi there, I'm Akita Neru." Her raspberry-red mouth formed a smile. "You're Kagamine Rin, right?" Again, I blinked. I never understood why I was referred as the same surname as Len's and Nami's, but Mr. Dell instructed me to refer to myself as 'Kagamine' without further questions.

"Ah… yes?"

Akita Neru smirked. Two other girls came at beside her, pushing the other girls past despite their murmurs. "This is Sonika," She gestured to a tall girl with short green hair, "and Gumi." She gestured to the shorter girl with slightly longer greenish-jade hair.

I tiled my head sideways before gasping, "Oh! I am pleased to meet you!" I bowed. Above me, I heard Akita Neru chuckle.

"Right." Akita Neru said, raising my head. "So…" She suddenly leaned in my ear, smirking. I felt my face contort into a look of confusion.

Why was she getting so close?

I struggled back a few steps, only to be grabbed by her hand. "What can you tell me about your brother?" She murmured slyly, making me shiver.

"B-Brother?"

"Len-kun." My eyes shot wide in surprise. "Tell me, who is the girl he likes?" Again, confusion returned.

The girl Len likes…?

"Oi, Akita! Leave her be!" A loud voice cut in. Someone suddenly yanked Akita Neru off my arm, an athletic, well-muscled girl with fiery red hair curled into pigtails replaced the spot Akita once stood, crossing her arms.

Akita narrowed her eyes. "You should know better than to mess with other peoples' business, _Kasane_." She said with malice dripping at the last part.

The red-haired girl in turn, scoffed. "Right, whatever. C'mon, new girl, let's get out of here." She took my arm and led me away from the group, feeling their stares behind me. After a few paces, the red-haired girl let go of my arm and whipped around, showing her face for the first time.

"Hey there. The name's Teto. Kasane Teto." The girl flashed me a friendly grin, saluting herself in a playful manner. Then, she turned the other way, shouting. "YO LUKA-PANTS, GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE AND COME MEET THE NEW GIRL!" I saw a girl with long pink hair stop and turn around, walking over.

"Mou, Teto. You're so loud." The pink-haired student called 'Luka' complained as she approached, then she turned to me, her eyes widening.

"… Oh."

I blinked.

Pink hair, gorgeous figure, blue eyes… full chest. Then, I felt my eyes widen in surprise.

"You're…" The pink soft-chested girl I had encountered at the library so many weeks ago, gasped and pointed at me, a furious blush on her face.

"Heh. I didn't think I'd live to see the day of seeing your molester in person." Teto grinned, nudging the shock-absorbed girl, her ruby eyes flickered towards me. "It's okay, new girl, sometimes I can't resist squishing 'em together either. And I'm her cousin~" She went up behind Luka and started squeezing her large breasts together. "Like this, see~? We're both such pervs~"

"T-Teto!" Luka squeaked, blushing bright as a strawberry. "S-Stop it…! People are watching!"

Teto laughed and released her hold, looking over Luka's shoulder and back at me. "You and her have met before, right?" I nodded slowly. A shy smile spread across Luka's face, she walked up to me.

"You are Kagamine-kun's sister." Luka said, still smiling. "I never had the chance to properly introduce myself, I am Megurine Luka. But please call me Luka, ah… may I call you 'Rin-san?" I tilted my head sideways before nodding. Her face lit up, she clapped her hands together. "All right, then!" Teto came up beside her, linking their arms together.

"Luka and I are related, just so you know. We're both cousins." Teto stated, then she sighed. "Well, I used to be really upset over the fact Luka had bigger boobs than I did… but then I discovered having flat-chest is a status! A true rarity!" She proclaimed, sending me a strange wink. "That means you and I, both rule over Luka's D-cups!"

"Teto…"

"Luka-pants here is a real beauty. Guys won't stop hitting on her. And you're pretty cute, yourself, Rinnie. But people these days prefer a girl like me!" Teto puffed out her chest in pride. "Cute as a button and pure as snow! Know what I mean? If I look right, so do you! If I look left, you do too! When you line up for my autograph the night before, you can't take a shower!" The fiery girl squealed, hugging herself with both arms. "That may cause hygienic issues, but you still want to see me! That determination burns as hot as the sun in wait of my arrival! Until your head is drenched!"

"_Teto…"_

I stared at them both in confusion. Then, the whistle blew.

"OKAY! FREE TIME IS OVER! EVERYONE OVER HERE!" The loud teacher shouted loud enough for all to hear. Everyone stopped what they were doing and jogged towards him, panting and covered in sweat. Curious, I followed. "Today everyone will have a turn at the vault!" The teacher announced, his chest puffing out with pride.

Everyone groaned.

"ENOUGH!" The teacher snapped, his mood now sour. "Any more complaints and you're all running laps! Do I make myself clear?"

No one answered.

"That's more like it." The adult flicked his pencil, "Anyone who fails to jump over the vault receives a bad grade. You are expected to land cleanly without extra hops or steps and set the landing zone on the mat. Now, who'd like to be first?" Everyone looked around to see who would go.

"I'll go!" All eyes turned to Teto, who stood beside me.

"Atta girl, Kasane! Enthusiasm, just what I like to see." The P.E. teacher grinned as she made her way to the runway, crouching in a lunge. The teacher blew the whistle and she immediately took off running, her hands shot out and she leaped over the vault, performing a perfect landing on the mat. Everyone, including myself, clapped.

"Nice, Kasane! You'll be getting a good score for that one! Okay, who's next?" This time, a few hands went up.

"Very cute, Teto." Luka complimented as the red-haired girl walked towards us. She flashed Luka a wide grin in reply.

"Nah. It was nothing."

"Hm… Why don't you go up next, Kagamine?" I blinked, looking over at Len who was jogging his way towards the runway.

Len?

The whistle blew and Len sprinted towards the vault. All the girls started squealing and cheering.

"GO, LEN-KUN!"

_BA-THUMP…_

Something hammered against my chest as I watched him sprint with a mischievous smirk on his face and a strange desire coarse in his flaming blue eyes.

_BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP…_

_**BA-THUMP!**_

I grasped at my pounding chest, feeling my face begin to heat up.

What was this... feeling?

Then, he jumped and his hands shot out from under him, his arms momentarily balanced on the vault, then he lifted himself off and landed perfectly on the mat. "KYAAAAAAAH~!" All the girls screamed in joy, clapping and cheering.

"That was so cool, Len-kuuuun~!"

"Len-sama's amazing!"

Len smiled at everyone, rubbing the back of his head. "Good work, Kagamine! As expected of you!" The teacher praised, marking his clipboard. Len made his way back to his spot, receiving praises and slaps on the back from other students. I stared after him, still clutching at my chest.

"Hatsune! You're up next!" The teacher called, everyone's cheers lowered quieted down when a graceful girl with bluish green, almost teal-colored hair drawn into two pigtails, stepped forward to the runway. She crouched on a lunging position, waiting for the whistle.

"Oooh. Hatsune-san is an amazing athlete." Teto whispered beside me, her voice filled with interest. "I hear she's been doing gymnastics since the age of four." The whistle blew, and the girl called Hatsune took off. She began sprinting for the first few paces, but instead of running all the way, her arms shot out and her body began twisting into a row of cartwheels down the aisle. Finally when she got to the vault, her hands came forward and she executed a half round-off, spinning in the air before landing straight on the mat.

Everyone began clapping and whistling, including Teto and Luka beside me.

"Amazing, Hatsune. Also expected of you as well!" The teacher clapped, nodding approvingly. Hatsune smiled, bowing once.

"Thank you, Kei-sensei."

"Wonderful, just wonderful. You and Kagamine are a real pair, best students in the class. What I wouldn't give to have another." Hatsune blushed, giggling and shaking her head. She started walking back to her place, receiving compliments along the way.

Then, she stopped and turned. She looked directly towards me with a neurotic expression set on her face. Her striking, heavily-lashed viridian eyes bore into me, as if she were trying to dig something out.

"Okay! Kagamine Rin, you're up!" I blinked, turning to the teacher who was calling my name. Everyone's cheers subsided once again.

"Go on, Rin, you can do it." I felt a push from behind me, forcing me to step forward. I took a look around, seeing everyone's eyes on me, then I saw the teacher's expectant gaze on me.

"Go on, Kagamine." I flinched, taking a deep breath and moving forward. I stopped in front of the row of mats set before me. Crouching into the same position the others had taken, I dug into a lunge. Beads of sweat started to form on my head, I started to tremble. The whistle blew. My legs suddenly took over, flying forward into a fast sprint. Then, my hands shot out and I began twisting my body into sweeping movements, as if I were dancing.

Everything had grown to a complete silence, I couldn't hear anything around me except the pounding rhythm playing inside my chest.

It was as if body had taken control over will. It felt natural. I felt myself leap forward with my hands out, grasping the vault before I felt my entire spinning in an entire twisting motion, everything spinning around me so dizzyingly I was forced to close my eyes.

Before I knew it, I was on the mat; my feet flat and arms raised above me. I opened my eyes, panting. I glanced around, feeling everyone's stares on me.

"AMAZING!" The teacher suddenly roared, causing me to jolt in alarm. He clapped a rough on my back, grinning. "I'm impressed, new girl! Gifted, just like that other Kagamine over there!" Cheers broke out, and everyone began clapping. Turning to Len, I could see him smiling at me.

_BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP…_

_**BA-THUMP...!**_

I gasped, grasping at the front of my uniform. It was that warm, pounding sensation again… why did it happen when Len smiled at me just now? My cheeks grew warmer and warmer every passing moment, and it felt as if a rush of butterflies had nested inside me. "That was amazing, Rin-san!" Luka exclaimed when I walked back towards her and Teto. "Where did you learn all that?" Behind us, the teacher began yelling other names, continually waving his clipboard. But I didn't even know what I just did, it was as I had been controlled.

"I'd say you even topped Miku." Teto stated, grinning. "Look at her over there." Curious, I followed her gaze. Across the other side, she was staring at me with a serious expression craved on her face. Then, her lips curved downwards.

Our eyes clashed for a moment.

It felt as if a fire had been set underneath us. A rush of cold shivers ran up and down my spine as we continued to stare at each other. Then, she narrowed her eyes, turning around and walking off.

* * *

**Meiko's POV**

"You never told us you had such a cute sister, Len." Akaito said, pouted at Len while draping a lazy arm over Rin's shoulder. "I am like, officially hurt." It was the lunch period. Len and Rin were eating with me and Kaito. This time, Akaito and Ted actually bothered to join us.

Len rolled his eyes. "You, Ted and Meiko already saw her a couple weeks when you came over." Then, he moved to push Akaito's arm off Rin, his eyes narrowing. I noticed this, chuckling. Psh. Territorial much?

"Even still!" Akaito protested, "You never mentioned her once throughout middle school!"

"I didn't know I had a sister back then." Len lied coolly. I chuckled, knowing full well he and Rin weren't siblings.

"Sooo Rinnie, how do you like high school so far?" I asked Rin, who looked up. "It's fun, ne?"

Rin paused, looking thoughtful. "It… it is." She answered softly, nodding.

"I've been hearing good things about you all day." I said, smirking. "You've gotten popular already." Len stopped eating his sandwich, now interested.

"People are talking about Rin?"

"Mhm." Kaito licked his ice cream, "Most of the upperclassmen have been talking about your 'twin' showing the rest of the freshmen up. Heard she's really acrobatic in Kei-sensei's P.E. class too." I whistled, impressed.

"Rin." It was Ted's voice, he was holding out a box of strawberry pocky sticks. Rin perked up; if she had a puppy tail, it'd be waving all around her. Ted took a bread-stick out and began waving it, inflaming Rin's interest, who was now on her feet.

"Want it?"

Rin gave a fierce nod, twitching.

"Go get it." And Ted flipped it into the air. Immediately, Rin jumped high and caught the end of the stick with her mouth, landing back down in a sitting position and happily munching on it. We all clapped, laughing at her cute antics.

"Kagamine-kun!"

Abruptly, we all looked up, I nearly spat out the water in my mouth seeing who it was. There, skidding hurriedly towards us was an underclassman with long, silky blue-green hair tied in twin pigtails, waving at Len.

"Ah, H-... Hatsune-san?" Len got up, a blush forming his cheeks.

Miku flashed a smile that seemed much too sugary for my taste, I resisted the urge to gag. "Hi, I was looking for you."

Len blinked. "Me?" She giggled, nodding.

"Yes." I stiffened, rolling my eyes. After all these years, I thought bitterly, she still made herself look sweet and dainty. Miku's gaze wandered to me, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "Oh. Meiko... hi?"

"Che." I mumbled, looking the other way.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Miku's eyes seemed to sadden, she sighed, turning her gaze towards Rin. "Oh. And that is..." Miku pointed to Rin, her voice suddenly sounding strange.

"Ah, this is Rin." Len said, gesturing towards Rin, who was staring back at Miku. "My younger twin."

"... Your sister, Kagamine-kun? The one you've been talking about?" Miku asked, still looking at Rin with a weird look in her eyes. I rose a brow. What was her problem? Seriously?

"Yeah. That's her. Hahaha..." Len laughed nervously, turning to Rin. "Hey, Rin. This is Miku."

"Mi... ku?" Rin repeated slowly, glancing at Len, then at Miku. "Miku?" The tealette's eyes narrowed.

"Yes." At the sound of Miku's tone, Rin immediately stiffened, crawling back behind Len as if she scared. She still peeked through at her from behind his legs. Len gave Rin a funny look, raising an eyebrow.

"Rin?" Then, he sighed. "It's only Miku, she's my friend. Don't act silly, just say hi." He stepped out of the way, making Rin react by immediately clinging to the cloth of his shirt, tugging at him restlessly. Miku's eyes narrowed even further when she did that, her gaze starting to burn. "Wha- R-Rin? Stop that, you're being rude!" I nearly chuckled to myself. Ms. Diva had a new rival.

"It's alright, Kagamine-kun." Hatsune said in a soft voice. "Rin-san is shy, I understand." She looked back at Rin, her face softening. "Kagamine-san..." Rin flinched, daring to stare up at Miku with a cautious look evident on her face. "It was nice meeting you. I hope we can get along," Miku's eyes flickered to Len, then back at Rin. "But... I will not lose to anyone."

'I will not lose to anyone'?

So she felt threatened...

Awesome.

"Miku?" Len asked cluelessly, apparently not getting he was about to get torn between two girls later on.

Hatsune smiled at him, shaking her head. "No. Don't worry about it, Kagamine-kun! I have get back to lunch now, so see you, minna." She shot one last long look at Rin before smiling again, bowing. With that, she stalked out of the cafeteria.

Akaito blinked, then grinned. "Wow, Len. You and Hatsune sure act _friendly_ together, huh? I'm jealous." He nudged Len, a mischevious glint in his copper eyes. Len stared at him, then blushed.

"W-Wha? What are you talking about? It's not like that at all!"

Kaito whistled, joining in the tease. "Shota scored it with pigtails." He gave Len a sly wink, grinning. "Just be sure you two don't go full-throttle all at once. We don't need anymore little shota-brats running around the household, especially not yours." A furious shade of red painted the blond freshman's cheeks.

"KAITO!"

As they continued to argue, I could see Rin stare after the doors where Miku had exited, then she turned to Len, a troubled frown on her face. I smirked to myself. It was great she could come to Seija now, in these short weeks of getting to know her, she's been watching us closely, not really doing anything, just watching. But now that she was here, she could live a normal life with all of us.

Rin was one of us now.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

We were walking from the bus stop, traveling towards Len and Kaito's home. My first day at Seija Academy had ended. I sighed.

Each day was like an adventure, new sights, sounds, and brand-new places to explore. Everyone was all there to help me. Their mansion was enormous and full of space. I especially favored their gardens where Nami would take me, being there gave me a strange peace. Today, it had been amazing, I really enjoyed it at Len's school, but...

_"But... I will not lose to anyone."_

Miku's words still echoed inside me. I didn't enjoy it. What had she meant by that? I couldn't understand. The way she was looking at Len, then at me... and the way Len acted around her, turning colors and stuttering.

I did not enjoy it.

"Rin?" I snapped my head up, finding myself looking into Len's kind, worried gaze. "Are you okay? You look weird." I blinked, then nodded. He frowned, suddenly leaning so close to me our foreheads touched. I couldn't figure out why my face tingled when he did that.

_BA-THUMP._

"You're sure?" Len asked, his blue eyes searching mine. "If you're not feeling well, you can just tell me." A few paces ahead of him, I could see Kaito looking back at us. I felt my face grow warm. It was strange, I would act lightheaded whenever I was with Len now. My cheeks would grow warm, I would fluster, and I always found myself breathless.

"I... I am fine, Len." I answered, feeling a shiver run up my spine. He frowned, but nodded and started walking again. I sighed.

Again, he was being so kind...

Then, something else weighed me down, causing the rest of me to hunch over with that heavy feeling. I could finally go to Len's school, along with Kaito and Meiko-nee. But even despite all the trouble I've caused for them two months ago, they still provided me with kindness.

Even though I was such a burden to everyone, along with Len, they still allowed me to stay? To go to a school now?

Even when I caused nothing but trouble at times…?

Spending time with them, I felt a lot more at ease. It turns out they are all very kind, just like Len.

Kaito was a bit brash, he liked to tease Len a lot, but he was still very kind. Nami is cheerful and nice. Gacha, I grew to enjoy his company despite his irritating outbreaks, but he was very polite. Meiko-nee came over a few times… and she seemed nice too (though I've noticed she'd act strange around Kaito now). Mr. Dell… I was not sure what to think of him. He'd be blunt and distant.

And Len.

Len…

_"Len... sing!" I exclaimed again as I hopped up and down the bed, wanting to hear Len's beautiful voice again. He gave me a strange look._

**_"_**_Again__, __Rin?_**_ Don't you want me to stop now?"_**

_"Len sing!" I insisted, knowing full well he was protesting despite the strange words he was using.. "Sing again!" I didn't want him to stop, his voice sounded heavenly, like an angel. It gave me a strange peace listening to him sing, it was almost as wonderful as being in their gardens. He looked at at me, then sighed._

_"**I'll **sing **one more time. But after that, you need to go to sleep, okay?**"_

_"Yeeees!" I exclaimed in agreement, nodding. "Sing, Len, sing!" He chuckled._

**_"Right..." _**_He opened his mouth and began to sing:_

**_"What are you doing now, at what place? _**

**_Are you at a place where this sky continues into? _**

**_I lost that which has buried my heart until now and noticed it for the first time. _**

**_The fact that you had been supporting me this much. The fact that you had been giving me smiles this much. The price of having lost its way is too preposterously great, and I desperately reach out my hands and struggle to recover. _**

**_It slips by just like the wind; It looks like I'll reach it, but I won't..."_**

_Warmth bubbled inside me as I watched him sing. Even though I couldn't understand what the words were, hearing him was just enough. His voice was light and airy, yet still had this smooth, echoing quality to it. __It was beautiful. __The tingly, warm feeling inside me continued to swell._

_It was caused by Len, right?_

_I wanted to feel this warmth inside me forever._

I was walking as I looked down the ground, so I was startled to find a hand had appeared on my path. I raised my head, even more startled to find the hand belonged to Len. He was smiling. "Let's go home, princess." He said, reaching out to me with a gentle, kind look in his eyes.

I felt my face flush again, and once more I didn't know why. Shyly, I began to reach out towards his outstretched hand, only to be grabbed by it aburptly. "Ah...!" Len suddenly pulled me forward, making me gasp. Butterflies swarmed inside me, the place where his fingers squeezed me began to tingle. Grinning, he began to run, pulling me along with him.

_BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP._

**_BA-THUMP!_**

The thing inside my chest began pounding again. To my ears, it sounded like a drum beating inside me. I grasped at the front of my shirt, peering at Len.

Did the thing pound inside my chest because of Len?

_BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP!_

Is this... _happiness_?

I lowered my eyes to where he squeezed my hand against his, feeling a sudden warmth rush through me. I did a strange thing. I smiled, clutching at my chest. If such a feeling was caused by Len... then indeed, I am very happy. I pressed back on his hand, feeling the heat rush through my face.

"Yo, Kaito! Wait up!"

The sun began to set behind us.

* * *

**A/N: **HOLY GOODNESS, THIS UPDATE IS LOOONG! About what? 10,000 words! ANYWAY! I AM DONE! All right! In case you didn't know what song Len was singing, it's called 'Dear You' by Kaito. Of course, there's a Rin/Len version of it too. Anyway, here's what you've been waiting for! The daily poll results;

**1****st**** Place- **Rin Takashi (Kagamine)

**2****nd**** Place - **Len Kagamine

**3****rd**** Place-**Kaito

**4****th**** Place- **Prof. Kamui Gakupo, Dell, and Miriam **(All tied)**

**5****th**** Place- **Meiko, GachaopoidR3000/Gacha, Luka Megurine, Nami Kagamine, Ted, Iroha Nekomura **(All Tied)**

Our beloved Rin takes the spotlight of "_Project: VOCALOID_". Timid, sweet and with a mind of a child. Her innocent nature captures all hearts of the readers. So far, she takes the lead! But the story is growing and more characters are on their way, they'll be competing for the top spot, so keep voting! The poll status will be displayed later again.

Also, any volunteers for fanart? I'll post the links of my profile~ plus, the chapters will come faster and boost my inspiration~! I'd personally get on my knees and praise the illustrators with tons amount of respect. I'd even request 'manga', but then, that'd be pushing my luck, ne? **XD**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	11. Love Is War

A/N: Holy eggplants. Over 200 reviews? In only 10 chapters? I am so blessed. **XD** Rah… I am so tired. This chapter took FOREVER to complete, I'm afraid I have been infected with the case of 'WRITER'S BLOCK'. **DX** **NUUU**.

A big thanks for reviewing:

**Chikanpo, fujingodofwind, Bubblycutie and Awesomenessdude, SeacatTopaz, TakumiChaos, ChocoCookiePuff, AnimaniacXOX, Hikari No Destany, SuperCrazedKITTY, Lex2995, Miko A. Kimura, Campanella, kuri L.B., Zaachan, yukitomaso, WanderingSoulofTime, Mizuki Kagamine, Bluejay92, kjbsadkas, and orangesky3~!**

**Disclaimer:** I own "Project: VOCALOID"~! That's a given, at least.

**Warning: **This content contains **mild swearing** and **crude humor.**

**Bold: **Stands for singing.

_Italics: _Stands for _German_, insane yelling, trance-like dreams/flashbacks, and specific words.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

"**Pretty Cure, Pretty Cure…~ ah!"**

I lifted the weights off my eyes slowly, sitting up on my bed. Jumpy, upbeat music blasted from the other side of the wall, its sounds muffled.

"_Gacha?"_

Almost instantly, a small robot appeared before me, bowing. _"Yes, miss Rin?"_

"_What is the time?"_ I asked, acknowledging his bow with a tilt of a nod. Gacha paused for a moment before replying.

"_5:09 A.M. in the morning, madam. Why do you ask?"_ Then, the small machine looked at me in suspicion. "_And how did you manage to wake yourself up at this hour?"_ As I was about to reply, the music started blasting again. This time though, a voice could be heard from the other side of the wall.

"**Pretty Cure, ah! Pretty Cure, ah! Pretty Cure, ah! Pretty Cure, ah! Pretty Cure, ah~!" **The magical words repeating over on over again.

That voice…

I hopped off the bed and walked towards the door to my room, opening it as quietly as I could manage. Gacha floated alongside me, apparently interested in the voice we both were hearing. Silently, we padded through the wide hall, following the sound. _"Miss Rin, this voice…?"_ Gacha started mechanically. I nodded.

"_It does strike as familiar, Gachapoid."_

It was until we had arrived at a door. I blinked upon recognizing it.

Len's door?

Indeed, the heart of the voice sounded as if it were coming inside the room, with the upbeat music muffled inside. Curious, I turned the knob and opened the door.

"Len?"

In front of a bright-colored screen they called the 'television', Len, already dressed in the Seija uniform, was dancing, holding out a comb and swinging his hips with the music. He was singing. Gacha immediately sprang behind me.

"**Pretty and Cure, the two of us are…**

**PURIKYUAAAAA~!…"** Len immediately spun around with his blue eyes flashing, singing at a high note. Upon seeing me, his face suddenly paled and twisted into a look of pure horror. The comb from his hand clattered to the floor.

A brief silence, except for the music continuing to play in the background. Len continued to look at me with that strange expression of his. Then, my eyes widened as I recalled something. "Ah!" I immediately bowed to Len, showing my sincere apologies.

"I forgot to knock."

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 11**

_**Love Is War**_

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* * *

**Len's POV**

"Mom! Dell! I'm off!" I rushed out the kitchen, waving back at the adults in the room. Rin stood up from the table and began to follow.

"Bye, honey! Have a wonderful day at school, you hear?" Nami called, blowing me a kiss. I heard Rin's footsteps pause.

"Goodbye, Nami. Goodbye, Mr. Dell."

"Bye-bye, Rin-chan~! You have a good day too, ne?" Mom's cheery voice rang airily as Rin's footsteps continued again.

"Nami, can't I take my motorcycle this time?" I heard Kaito complain.

"No, Kaito-kun~. Run along now."

"_Dad_…?"

"Take the bus, Kaito."

"… Dammit."

We were all walking to the bus stop together. Me, Rin, and Kaito, all lined up on the estate's sidewalk.

I was walking as fast as I could, almost breaking into a run. I stole a glance behind me, seeing a very confused Rin trailing behind who stared after me while chewing on a piece of unfinished bread in her mouth. Kaito walked beside her, clueless about the entire situation. I felt my face redden as Rin continued to stare at me. I turned back around, walking even faster.

At five o'clock this morning, Rin caught me singing the opening theme for Pretty Cure (which I'll admit that I still watch sometimes). It was so embarrassing.

Not that it was my fault! Once you hear that song, it gets stuck inside your head! Before you know it, you end up singing along with the lyrics!

… Yeah, pathetic. I know.

But it was relieving Kaito didn't know what was going on. He never would've let this pass; he was always out to get me. Still, I felt too ashamed to face Rin, not after she just saw that humiliating side of me.

"Uh. Len?"

"Huh?" I stopped in my tracks and spun around to who just called me. Kaito quirked a blue-colored brow at me before pointing at the sheltered bench behind him. "You know the bus stop is over here, right?" Beside him, Rin tilted her head at me sideways.

I couldn't help but blush even further in embarrassment. "Oh, right. Thanks." I mumbled before joining them under the sheltered covering. It looked as if an unusually large amount of people were waiting for the bus today, which was pretty explainable since the price of gasoline had risen in the past few months. And people were heavily urged to use public transportation (it's good for the environment but bad for me). I frowned at the thought of having to be squeezed in the middle of a heaving, sweaty mass of bodies, and with this many people it'd be nothing less than a stampede trying to find a good spot.

"I can't believe your Mom. Forcing us to ride in a godforsaken bus…" Kaito huffed, "What does she have against motorbikes anyway?" I rolled my eyes. He was still acting sore over the fact he hadn't rode his motorcycle in the past four days.

"It's fine with me," I said, "at least it's not the subway."

Kaito sighed, nodding in agreement. "Yeah…" He mumbled reluctantly, "I guess you're right. Anyway, the bus is almost here, so get ready and find a good spot."

As soon as he finished his sentence, a large automobile slowed up in front of us, coming to a creaky stop. I examined the windows. Luckily, most of the seats were empty this morning, I sighed in relief. But just as the doors wheezed open, it was every man for himself. People bustled around and about, I somehow managed to worm my way through into a pair of empty seats in the back. I smiled to myself, when I got there however, Rin was already sitting in the window seat, looking out.

I froze.

As if sensing my presence, she looked over. Seeing it was me, she tilted her head and smiled sweetly. Feeling my entire body heat up, I fumbled for words. "Can I sit here?" I asked in a faint voice, which was almost impossible for Rin to hear. She nodded in reply.

I sat down quietly, collected in the awkward silence. Rin, on the other hand, seemed undisturbed, looking out the window with blank expression on her face. I crinkled my forehead in interest. At times like these, one couldn't help but wonder what was on her mind. Sometimes she would stare off into space, and a thoughtful expression would engrave into her face. It was as if she was looking for something…

"You sing wonderfully." Rin's soft voice abruptly caused me to snap out of my thoughts. She was facing me now. A furious blush flamed my cheeks as I recalled her walking in on me in the morning.

"Y-You really think so?" I asked, smiling embarrassedly.

Rin nodded. "I do."

"Oh… well. Thanks."

A silence.

"… Have you ever sung before, Rin?" I asked, causing her to turn to me.

"Me?" Rin asked, pointing to herself. I nodded. She blinked again before rolling her gaze up towards the ceiling. "I…" She contemplated for a moment before answering. "No. I don't believe so."

I smiled a bit. "I'd like to hear you sing sometime." Rin turned to stare at me. "I bet your singing is just as good as mine, maybe even better. Seeing as you already have a pretty voice." I said, giving her a wink. Rin blinked in shock before looking to the side in embarrassment, a small blush crept onto her face.

"You flatter me too much, Len."

I laughed, feeling the rest of the tension shake off. "I meant every word I said, Rin. I'd never lie to you." I stated, I reached over and smoothed out the silky bow on her head. "I would like to hear you sing though; it'd be nice." Rin bit the lower portion of her lip, still blushing. I grinned, continuing to pat her head. On the inside though, I knew she liked what I said.

"I suppose…" Rin spoke, lifting her eyes. I stopped grinning when she gave me a serious look, "if I could sing for Len… it would make me very happy." Then, she tilted her head sideways. "It would make Len happy too, right? To see me sing?"

I blinked, then nodded. "Yeah. It would."

"Then…!" As gentle as could be, she grasped of one of my hands and clasped it against her chest. "I will sing!" Her sea-blue eyes glowed with anticipation. "I will sing if it makes Len happy!" She faltered slightly, "Even if I will never be as good as Len… even if it gets scary. I must keep trying! I will sing for you!" She proclaimed in that light, musical voice of hers, her face growing firm with strong determination.

For a moment, I just stared. Then, the heat rose in my face, and my entire body began tingle. How was it that Rin could make herself so _friggin'_ cute even when she was trying to act serious?

I rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment, smiling sheepishly. I couldn't help it. Looking at the childish determination on her face, it was just cute. I kind of liked it.

"You don't have to go that far." I told Rin, smiling as I ruffled her hair. "It's not like I'd die if I never hear you sing."

"No!" I nearly jumped at the harshness in her tone. Rin's eyes began to flare now, that was a habit of hers when no one took her seriously. "I will definitely sing for Len! Even it gets hard, I will fight back even harder! With more force! It's not fair I have to become such a burden if I cannot even do a simple task such as that!" Then, her face softened with sadness. "I… just want to be able to do that."

The other intruding noises on the bus suddenly faded into nothingness, all that mattered was Rin. I leaned forward and grasped both of her shoulders, making her glance at me in surprise.

"Len?"

"Sorry, Rin." I grinned apologetically. "I should've taken what you said more seriously." Rin blinked, startled. "Go for it then. Sing for me sometime." I said, "But not just for me, for everyone. Mom, Kaito, Meiko-nee, and Dell, I'm sure they all want to hear you sing as much as I would."

Rin stared at me.

"I'm excited. You've already heard me sing, now it's my turn to hear you. But I don't want you to rush yourself, so I'll wait." I said, my grin widening.

"Len…"

"I'll wait for you, Princess."

Rin's eyes widened at my statement. A pink hue painted her cheeks as she shyly looked down at her hands. "Thank you." I grinned and slung an arm around her shoulders as I relaxed onto the shared bus seat. Her body tensed at first but gradually relaxed into the lazy hug.

That had to be the longest actual conversation I've had with Rin so far. She never really talked in Japanese much, even to me. But she was coming out of her shell and opening up more to us now. It made me glad enough.

Two months ago, Rin wouldn't have gotten within two feet with people outside our family. Now she was already making friends of her own over the past few days at Seija. She still hung around me though, not that I minded. Over the past weeks of spending time with her, she sorta grew on me. It was as if I were the at times she'd remind me of the perfect little sister I never had. Cute, innocent, sweet… no one could stay mad at her for long (not even Kaito could). I had even thought up of a private nickname for her, 'Princess.' It suits her better than 'Rabbit girl' or 'Bunny-chan', right?

Rin's head collided on top of my left shoulder, making me stiffen in slight surprise. "Can we stay like this for a while, please?" She asked before I could make a move to react, "even if everything changes later on…can we stay like this? Just for a little while?"

I didn't answer at first, then a light smile etched across my face and I placed a hand on her head, patting it. I closed my eyes in contentment.

"Of course, Princess."

For the rest of the ride, we remained like that.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

The first class of the day had ended. Len had to stay after class to assist the professor, so I met up Teto and Luka. While dressing out for P.E. class, Teto had begun singing a strange song having to do with undergarments at the top of her lungs.

"**BY MYSELF, I CAN~ **

**TAKE OFF MY PANTIES, **

**TAKE OFF MY PANTIES, **

**TAKE OFF MY PANTIES, **

**YEAH~!"**

"Teto Kasane! Stop singing that song and get down from there!"

I removed the bow from my hair, clipping it into the same ponytail Len always wore. While Teto had been singing, the girls in our class had give us the strangest of stares for the past five minutes, especially when Teto had climbed on top of a bench and started twirling her uniform skirt in the air in a violent motion.

"**Once I've taken them off, I'll become an adult~!**

**I'm sure it's a wonderful feeling**

**TAKE OFF MY PANTIES,**

**TAKE OFF MY PANTIES,**

**TAKE OFF MY PANTIES, ALRIGHT~!**

**I can do whatever I want~, I'll show you how I'M. GOING. TO-"**

"TETOOOOO!" Luka practically shrieked, causing all of us to cringe and cover our ears. A shocked Teto finally stopped singing and hopped off. She gave Luka a strange look.

"Wow, Luka-pants. Is my singing that bad today? You never say anything when we're at home. And you know I sing songs a _lot_ more-"

"I know." Luka spoke quickly, a red tinge coloring her cheeks. "It's just…-"

"Just what?" When Teto managed to pull on the assigned black shorts we were supposed to wear, the three of us headed out to the open gym area. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing. Anyway, have you confessed to Kasane-kun yet?" Luka asked quickly.

Teto blinked, shocked. Then, splotches of red colored her cheeks. "W… What the hell, Luka?" She exclaimed, her face reddening. "You can't bring Ted-kun into this now!"

I cocked my head sideways, turning to Luka. "What is the subject about Ted?" I asked. The quiet, red-haired boy was one of Len's friends. He sometimes visited the mansion along with the other boy called 'Akaito', who was more cheerful in contrast.

Luka smiled, flipping out her long pink hair. "Well, you see Rin-san: Teto has a case of infatuation with Kasane-kun; she likes him."

"Shut your trap, Luka-face! For your information, Ted-kun happens to be very sexy!" Teto looked the other way, puffing her cheeks out. "He and I both have red hair, we're both 5'3'', both our last names are _Kasane_. Those are signs from God! To get us together, DUH." She said, her gaze flickering back to Luka. "Besides, at least I'm not the one who daydreams about the eggplant-obsessed science professor during the day."

Luka blushed. "I- I do _not_ dream of professor Kamui during the day!"

"Uh-huh, right." Teto sent her a strange wink. "Don't worry. I once read in a magazine purple and pink make awesome chemistry. Your babies won't turn out too freakish-looking."

"TETO!"

I furrowed my face in confusion at their strange conversation, but I didn't really mind. I grew accustomed to it. For the past few days, Gacha allowed me to attend Seija Academy by myself. Being here, I met a wide variety of people. Luka and Teto especially, they even attend some of my classes.

Teto is a cheerful but eccentric. I share some classes with her. She enjoys talking a lot and has a strange obsession to what she called 'yaoi manga.' She is also very aggressive, and she takes PE activities rather seriously.

Luka is Teto's cousin. She's a very beautiful and a very talented girl. Mature and gentle, Len, Kaito, or Meiko-nee sometimes talked with her. She appeared to be close with Teto, despite their differences. And she favored books, cooking, and (strangely enough,) tuna.

We arrived at the front of the soccer area where most of the male students were already competing in. "KYAAAH~! It's Ted-kuuuuun!" Teto immediately started squealing, pointing at the familiar redhead who was guarding the left net.

"Oh, look. Kaito-senpai and Meiko-senpai are playing." I heard someone comment. And it was true, Kaito was kicking the ball towards Ted's position while avoiding the opposing players. Meiko-nee was running a few feet away from Kaito.

"Kaito, pass it over here!" I heard Meiko-nee shout to Kaito. Looking over, he seemed to hesitate before sending the ball across the field and over to Meiko-nee, who delivered the final kick towards the net. I felt the air around me grow tight.

"KYAAAH~!" Other students on the sidelines gasped. Ted, a faint smirk on his face, jumped to the left and caught the ball in his hands.

"GO, TED-KUUUUUUUN! THAT'S MY MAN~!" Teto's loud voice pierced the area as Ted threw the ball to his teammates, Luka and I had to cover our ears from the deafening blow. Then, out of nowhere, Len appeared and stole the ball, delivering it straight into the net.

"GOAL!"

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

_BA-THUMP._

I gave a slight gasp as I clutched at the front of my chest. It was that pounding sensation again. I looked over at Len who was being crowded around his teammates. He smiled at all of them as he rubbed the back of his neck. I felt a smile tugging at the corner of my lips.

Then, Miku flounced up to him with a big grin on her face as she suddenly threw her arms around him, making Len stutter and blush.

The smile on my face immediately vanished. Disappointment fell on me watching how close that girl was to Len. Seeing how his face began turning colors, it greatly saddened me.

But… why?

Then, the whistle blew. The teacher was calling us all over on the other side of the area.

"Man, and I thought Ted-kun's team was gonna win. No fair." Teto puffed as we began walking towards the teacher. "Kaito-senpai and Meiko-senpai are just lucky they have someone like your brother on their team." She said to me, scowling a bit. Luka smiled politely at me.

"Well, I think Kagamine-kun played wonderfully. You should be proud of him." I nodded in agreement, but my gaze traveled over to where Len and that Miku person was. I had encountered that beautiful teal-haired girl a few days before, but I did not enjoy her company. She would always cling to Len and ignore me, once or twice giving me an odd-looking stare. They were talking and laughing, their faces flushed.

Len looks so... happy. Being with that beautiful girl, laughing and smiling like that…

"Anyway, Rinnie-boo. Is there someone _you _like?" Teto suddenly asked, making me turn to her in surprise. I blinked.

"Like?" I repeated, confused. "What…?"

Teto looked at me strangely. "Uh… you know 'like'? As in 'ooh-I-want-go-out-with-that-guy~!' or 'Oh-my-god-that-dude-in-my-class-is-soooo-sexy~'? See where I'm getting at? Or, 'I-want-to-bring-that-hottie-in-my-bed-and-"

"To 'like' is to feel a specific attraction towards a special someone, Rin-san." Luka interrupted, who was also looking at me strangely. "Haven't you ever experienced that feeling?"

I stared at them both in confusion. "I am afraid not." Their jaws slacked open at my words.

The red-haired girl eyed me in disbelief and shock. "Are you saying you've _never_ liked anyone before, Rinnie-boo?" Tilting my head sideways, I returned their looks with a confused stare of my own.

"Is that bad?"

"THAT'S TERRIBLE!"

Teto abruptly came flying at me, her ruby eyes now wide and crazed. She grasped both my shoulders and starting shaking me violently. "WAKE YOURSELF UP, RIN! IT'S NOT NORMAL FOR ANYONE NOT TO HAVE SEXUAL ATTRACTIONS TOWARDS THE OPPOSITE SEX PAST THE AGE OF 13! WAKE _UP_, DAMMIT!"

"Stop that, Teto!" Luka scolded as she pulled the other girl aside, replacing the spot where Teto once stood. I could still feel myself swaying back and forth from the dizzying motion, my eyes might've been spinning in circles at the moment.

"I am sorry…" I murmured, fighting to regain control of myself.

Luka frowned. "Don't be. It's alright. But I have to admit, that _does _sound like an unusual case. You're sure you've never liked someone before?"

"OKAY, EVERYONE! LINE UP! WE'RE DOING VOLLEYBALL TODAY!" The teacher yelled when we came over. Everyone cheered. "You all know the rules, just keep serving the ball and add the given points." The teacher announced, dividing us into separate groups and setting teams on opposite sides of a six-course net.

I was still thinking about what Teto and Luka had said.

'Like'?

Do I 'like' anyone?

"Rin-chan~!" I snapped out of my daze and heard a familiar high-pitched voice squeal. A girl with ridiculously long golden hair pulled into a side ponytail ran towards me. She threw her arms around me, enveloping my entire self in a tight hug. "We get to be on the same team~! Isn't that just fabulous?"

"A… kita-san." Was all I could manage to say through the tight, rib-crushing embrace. Two other girls were on either side of Akita-san, one was tall and the other one short. "Sonika…-san… Gu…mi-san." I gasped while trying my best to bow. Then, Akita pulled away, allowing me to breath.

Akita smirked, her catlike eyes glowing. "I hope you're just as good as Len-kun at volleyball, Rin-chan. I wouldn't want to be made a fool on this-" Akita shot Teto a glare, "- team."

Teto snorted. "Ha. So long as you're playing too, Akita. Not painting your nails or texting on that goddamned cell of yours." Akita-san scowled as she marched up to Teto, their heights almost matching.

"Same goes for you, Kasane. Hopefully you won't be too distracted looking at Kasane-_kun_ over there." Teto flinched, her ruby eyes starting to flicker dangerously.

"You wanna go, Akita?"

"Well, sure. Why don't we take this outside?"

"Fine by me!"

"Teto! Akita-san, please save it for the game!" Luka chided in, pushing the two girls apart. Her blue eyes flickered in the other direction, "See? There's who we're going against." Looking across where Luka was pointing, were six other girls already in the right positions.

In the front was Miku.

"Is everyone ready over there?" A girl on the opposing side with short black hair called, waving to us. Akita and Teto looked at each other uncertainly before scowling.

"We'll finish this later." Teto stated, glaring at Akita.

"Agreed." Akita shot back. And we all took our positions. Miku had the ball, she was bouncing it up and down repeatedly before looking at me, her stony eyes digging into mine.

A fire crossed between us.

An icy rush of chills traveled up and down my spine. The teal-haired girl threw the ball high in the air and slammed her closed fist on it.

I saw nothing but a white blur-

_WHAAAP!_

Something had slammed right against my face, causing me to fall backwards in surprise. I felt my back come in contact with the cold ground. The object that hit me rolled off to the side, replacing my face with a throbbing sensation. My eyes began to water from the pain.

"Nnn…"

"Rinnie-boo!"

"Rin-san!"

Before I knew it, someone pulled my to my feet. Looking to the side, I saw Teto and Luka supporting my weight with both arms. Luka frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Sorry, Kagamine-san. I didn't mean for your face to get in the way." Turning sideways, I saw Miku come over and pick up the ball that had rolled to the side. She looked up and me and gave me a stare. "But you should've been more prepared." A sudden rush of heat swelled inside me hearing those cold words.

"Ne, Hatsune, that was a penalty strike!" Akita came up from behind me and swiped the ball from Miku's hands. "You don't get the ball this time, sorry." She handed the ball to me, smirking. "It's your turn to serve, Rin-chan." For a moment, I awed Akita's boldness.

Miku's eyes narrowed. "Alright then." With that, she headed back towards her own group. Teto and Luka returned to their given positions, ready to play. I looked at the white ball in my hands, then at the teal-haired girl in the front of the net. I pictured her laughing and clinging to Len in the past four days.

"_Kagamine-kuuun!"_

"_Haha… you're so funny, Kagamine-kun!"_

A rush of heat traveled to my head, it suddenly grew harder for me to breathe. My insides swelled with coldness. The air around me grew heavy with uneasiness. "Ne, Kagamine-san? Are you gonna serve or what?" My head snapped up, my eyes immediately came into contact with the heavily-lashed viridian eyes of Miku Hatsune.

"… My apologies." I replied with the most calm voice I could muster. Stepping back a few paces, I felt my neutral stare gradually build up into a glare. Carefully, I placed one foot behind me and threw the ball into the air, I jumped in the aftermath and raised a steady fist.

_WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!_

I slammed my hand into the ball, hard. So hard, in fact, it became a white blur as it flew past. Alarmed gasps sounded around the net, the ball slammed just a few inches away from where Miku was standing. She had been so caught off-guard, in fact, that the ball flounced to the side in the aftermath. With trembling hands, she bent down and picked up what appeared to be the remains of the ball, eyes widening in surprise.

A large hole corrupted the entire round structure, leaving it a white shapeless mass.

The other girls stared at us in dumbfounded silence. Miku's eyes met mine, but this time, hers were filled with shock and disbelief, which slowly turned into fear. Glaring straight at the teal-haired beauty, I said these words in a cold, monotone voice:

"I believe that one was a point."

* * *

**Meiko's POV**

It was quiet.

_Eerily_ quiet.

And also makes things awkward.

Wanna know why?

Today, there weren't that many people eating in the cafeteria today, since it was due to most seniors having to stay behind to finish up tests. But that wasn't the reason why everyone was so quiet. A certain blonde-haired girl sat away from the rest of our lunch group, eating her packed lunch in silence. An intense, dark aura radiated from her as she watched us like a cat. I felt my back prickle at the creepy stare she was giving us.

"… Dude, Len. Did you do something to piss Rin-chan off or something?" Akaito finally asked in effort to break the uncomfortable silence. Len flinched, fully aware that Rin's stares were directed mostly towards him.

"I don't know, actually… when I handed over her lunch, she just took it and sat over there. She doesn't want me to come sit with her either." Len frowned, taking a bite out of his lunch. Beside me, Kaito rose an eyebrow.

"Really? What'd you do to her?"

"That's what I don't know."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, I made an attempt to joke about it. "Did you poison her lunch or something?" The blond shot me a hard look.

"Not funny, Meiko-nee."

"Sorry." I mumbled, feeling embarrassed.

"Have you tried talking to her?" The normally soft-spoken redhead suggested.

Len sighed. "She won't even let me come close enough to have a decent conversation with her." Well, _that_ sounded interesting. Rin-chan always welcomed attention from Len.

"Well, _someone_ better go over there and talk to her. That look she's giving is really starting to creep me out." Akaito shuddered as he looked away from the blonde.

"Well, I can't go over there." Len said, sighing. "I think she's pretty angry with me…" He looked at Kaito.

"Wha-! Don't look at me! I enjoy living, thank you very much!" Kaito exclaimed, holding his hands up in defense. "Why not them two over there?" He pointed to Akaito and Ted, who both rejected the offer by scooting further down the bench.

"Uh…" Akaito laughed nervously. "I'm afraid Ted and I don't understand the complicated emotions of girls. We're guys, and we don't have that connection… maybe a girl…?"

Suddenly, everyone was staring at me.

.

.

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.

"OH HELL NO! Don't look at me like that!" All their faces turned desperate.

"C'mon, Meiko-senpai, we're guys! Total idiots! We'd only piss Rin-chan off even more if we tried talking to her!"

"And I said, 'HELL. NO." I replied, tilting the tip of my canteen back and drinking up the rest of the water. "God. All of you, suck it up and act like men."

"Please, Meiko-nee? I'd try if she'd only let me come within two feet of her."

"No."

There was just no way in hell I was risking my life with the recently turned demon-girl staring at us with creepiness and such. Tragedy and so, I wasn't willing to take up that suicide mission.

"Mei-chan…" I flinched at the new voice added in. A blue-haired moron suddenly came close enough that our noses were merely inches away.

"D-Don't even try, Kaito." I stuttered, trying to make myself look tough. He was being _way_ too close right now.

"Mei-chan, I'm afraid we don't have the woman's touch to do the job. We can't do this without you." His icy, vanilla-scented breath tickled my nose.

Why. Oh _why_ did he always have to eat ice-cream during lunch?

"A-And what the fuck do you mean by 'woman's touch', idiot?" I asked, trying to prevent our noses from colliding together. Kaito's puppy pout grew deeper, making the heat rise to my face. I couldn't help it though, since kindergarten I never could resist that pout.

"Meiko. We're worried about Bunny-chan, and I'm sure you are too." I inwardly flinched, it was true. I was worried about Rin. "But it looks like only you can talk to her right now, so do that, okay?" A slight scowl formed my lips, making Kaito stare at me even harder.

"At least for me?"

The.

Cheesiest.

Words.

EVER.

"… Dammit, fine." I snapped, blushing. I pushed the blue-haired freak away from me, despite the fact I kinda liked how close we had gotten- NO. I got myself up and sent glares all around at the inferior males. "You fuckers owe me one."

Kaito sent me a strange grin. "I don't know how we'd survive without you." A vein popped at the top of my head, I scowled.

"I swear to God if you say another word, I am going take your throat in my hand and _push you off the side of the building_."

If anything more, his grin widened.

"Awesome. Love you too."

On the way stomping towards the blonde, I felt like hitting something. Stealing a glance back at the boys, I could see Kaito indulge in a fake conversation with the others.

Argh.

To think I had to fall for my own best friend at this time and age.

I hate my life sometimes.

"Why the long face, Rinnie?" I sat myself down next to the glowering blonde girl, who was picking at her food. "You've been sitting over here for the past fifteen minutes. Is something up between you and Len?" She flinched at the mention of the other blond's name.

Hm. So this _did_ have something to do with Len.

"E… Everything is fine as always, Meiko-nee." Rin answered softly, switching her gaze to her shoes.

I scoffed. "You can't fool me with that sad face of yours, Rin-chan. I know better than that." She seemed to falter at that statement, the sides of her bow drooping like puppy ears. To soften the blow, I slung an arm around her neck comfortingly. "So, tell Meiko-nee what the matter is, alright?" She gave me a hesitant look, the dark look in her eyes disappearing. Instead, it was replaced with fear and anxiety.

"Must we talk about this?"

I nodded firmly. "Yes, we have to."

Rin fiddled nervously with the hem of her skirt. "I… I don't understand, Meiko-nee… in the last class, Teto and Luka talked to me about something very strange." I nodded to show I was listening. "They were talking about… 'liking' a person?"

"Go on…" I encouraged gently, trying to find out more. Rin paused before continuing.

"And… for me, when I contemplate on 'liking' a person…" Rin looked up to the ceiling in blank wonder, "it's somehow connected to Len…"

… Oh.

OH.

Now I knew where this was going.

Haha... yeah.

"But… I do not understand." Rin turned to me, her face contorted in a look of pure confusion. "What does it mean? To 'like' a person? Why is it that I think of Len when 'liking' someone comes to mind?"

I quirked a brow.

"You've never liked anyone before, Rin?" Reluctantly, she shook her head.

"It's all so confusing…"

I sighed. Who knew Rin-chan could be _this_ innocent?

"And when I think of Len spending time with other girls," Rin uttered, suddenly looking over towards where Len was. "Especially when he's looking happy with Hatsune-san instead of me…" Then she lowered her head. Strands of sun-colored hair shadowed her icy-blue eyes which turned cold with contempt. "… it hurts."

I sighed, fully aware of what she was talking about.

Len and Miku had been spending more and more time in each other's companies in the last couple of weeks, even when Rin hadn't been here.

I knew exactly how she felt.

"I want to separate them… but," Rin suddenly lifted her head, her eyes storming with anxiety. "Len has shown me nothing but kindness, teaching me lots of things… teaching me how to talk, smiling for me..." As she spoke, her expression began to darken. "If I did such a selfish thing, it would make him sad." She paused before continuing, "So I mustn't be selfish… not while I am indebted to someone so kind."

I studied her for a long while, then sighed.

"Well, I guess there's a first time for everything. Even if it's at a late age." I made an attempt to cheer her up by flashing her a wide grin. "Don't worry. I think you're a little confused, after all, Len's basically the only boy you've grown on these past few months, so it's natural you'd be a bit jealous."

The girl looked up, facing me.

"Jealous?"

I grinned. "You got it. Face it, Rin. You like Len-Len."

She blinked.

"I… 'like' Len?"

I nodded. "To 'like' is to have special feelings for that specific person, a close person in particular." I continued further when I saw the bemused expression on Rin's face. "When you like someone, you want to make sure you're always at your best. You feel a warmth whenever you're around him," I suddenly found myself glancing over at Kaito. "… Like, you can't even feel the same around other people, and whenever you're with him… you can just laugh off the awkward fights and be yourself."

I looked back at Rin, who was looking at me closely.

"Do you have someone you like, Meiko-nee?"

I blinked, completely taken off-guard by the sudden question, then a huge blush broke out on my face.

"What? M-Me? Ohahahaha!" I let out an nervous laugh, rubbing the back of my head. "Well… kinda." I tore my gaze away from Kaito, smiling. "But it's not really a matter of 'liking' him, it's something a lot stronger. I've known him for a long time." Rin tilted her head to the side, curious.

"Something stronger? What do you call it?"

I hesitated before glancing over back at the idiot I so adored. He had grabbed Len a headlock, grinning as he gave him a full noogie, despite the protests. He was smiling, laughing.

… Just like those other times.

"_Meiko-chan! Catch!"_

"No, not yet." I murmured, looking back at Rin with a sad smile. "Not yet, Rin-chan. You'll know what it is, someday."

Rin looked at me confusedly. "How will I know?" I sighed, stretching my arms out towards the ceiling before nestling my gaze back out Rin.

"Because he's the one who taught you how to smile."

* * *

**Rin's POV**

Someday…

What had Meiko-nee meant by that?

The day at Seija had ended, and we were all walking home from the bus stop. Kaito was traveling ahead of us, as always, and Len was walking just a few steps ahead of me.

I sighed. "Len?"

Immediately, he turned around to face me.

"Rin?"

I felt my cheeks flush. I… 'liked' Len. Even if it was a little bit, I think I understood what it meant. "Do you… like Hatsune-san?" As if I had been shouting, he recoiled back in surprise with his cheeks flaming.

"Wh-? How do you know what it means-"

"Do you or not?" I pressed on, determined to know. For a moment, Len stared at me, cheeks stained red and blue eyes wide. Then, he relaxed himself into a small smile of embarrassment.

"Yeah… I do. I like her."

_BA-THUMP…_

Slowly, I felt my hands drop at both sides of my skirt. My chest started to hurt, I had to resist the need to grasp at it this time.

Why did hurt so much…?

"Rin?" I glanced up to see Len's worried expression. "Is something wrong? Are you hurt?"

I didn't want Len to 'like' Miku.

I didn't want him to smile with Miku.

I didn't want him to be happy with Miku.

But…

I gathered all my strength in what was supposed to look like a smile. "I am fine, Len. Thank you." He frowned, seeming unconvinced.

"Rin…"

"Really, I am. Just, please…" I said, making my smile widen. I felt my eyes water for some reason as I lowered my head and brushed past him, still holding onto that false smile as I stopped at the very side of him.

"Be happy."

And I broke into a run.

Small beads of water began sliding down my cheeks as I ran to catch up with Kaito. My chest heaved with painful effort to breathe. I made the attempt to smile even further.

I couldn't be selfish.

I couldn't.

I still didn't understand the feeling of 'like', so it was nothing to cry over about. I had to remain unselfish. For Len.

Still… why wouldn't my tears stop?

I suddenly tripped, gasping out. I found myself falling headfirst towards the concrete- A flash of teal.

Before I knew it, I suddenly found my body being secured by a firm pair of arms. The ground remained below me, yet I had not hit it. I looked up to meet a gentle pair of blue-green eyes, almost turquoise. Blinking, the owner of the eyes allowed me back on my feet. I gasped upon seeing who he was.

There, standing before me, was a tall, slender youth with finely sculpted features. He had slightly disheveled teal hair that hung loosely below his ears. His face was smooth and unblemished yet defined at the same time. He looked to be about the same build as Len, if not a few centimeters taller. But what struck me the most were his piercing, emerald eyes. So many emotions seemed to range behind the mysterious irises, drawing curious onlookers closer and closer.

_BA-THUMP…_

I gasped, clutching at my chest.

This sensation…

The teal-haired boy suddenly grinned, giving me a wink. _"You always did have a klutzy stride about you, princess."_ I nearly gasped again. He leaned over and dried the tears from my eyes.

He spoke… German?

He suddenly extended his left arm, sweeping into a graceful bow. _"Until then."_ He said before flashing me another charming grin before walking off into the distance.

"Rin!" I turned again, seeing Len, breathless and flushed from running. A look of worry crossed his features. "Are you alright? I saw you trip and-" Then, he looked at the boy walking off, he raised an eyebrow, "-… who's that guy who helped you just now?" I blinked before settling my gaze back on the teal-haired boy.

_BA-THUMP…_

It was strange.

For some reason, seeing that boy's face… he looked familiar.

It was as if I had met him before.

* * *

**A/N:** asdfkfhadlkfjhadsklfh It's DONE~! There are NO words to describe my awesomness right now. **XD *faints***

Haha, who IS this mysterious stranger? Can YOU guess? Well, if you know the Vocaloid section well enough, you'd know by now by the OBVIOUS color. But yeah, this handsome boy's actually gotten quite a number of votes on the poll before he actually showed in the story. Isn't that kinky? **LOL.**

YOU WILL REVIEW IF YOU LOVE ME... just saying, cuz it's true, right? RIGHT? **O_O** yeah, but pleeeeeeease? *puppy eyes*

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	12. Cantarella

**A/N:** Yeah, I know. It's been a month since I last updated! *SOBSOBSOB* But, as far as I can say, I've been busy. Track season is going hard on me, I have to keep up my social life and grades… also doing ballet, violin, cello, and spending time with God.

But Japan's meltdown certainly blew me off, considering it's one of the most successful countries on the planet. I'm starting to think Rin's own 'Meltdown' never should've become a reality. ***^_^*** Now Vocaloids will probably come to life and take over the world. (Kidding.)

Also, check out what happens behind the scenes in "Project: VOCALOID/inLIVE"! See how the cast managed through it all! That is, if you want~. XD

I have to thank **Miko A. Kimura** for helping me this far. My amazing editor full of delights, drama, and total fun. She's helped me through indecisive plots for "Project: VOCALOID". Also the rest of my editors/betas, like **alphaprincess0803** and **Enilec**, they've been pretty loyal too~. Not to mention my awesome partner **Bluejay92**~, who's also pretty busy.

And thank you, beloved fans~!

A big thanks to;

**Skye Wolf, Auntie Cliché, Chikanpo, fujingodofwind, SeacatTopaz, xXx The Joker of a Writer xXx, Hikari no Destany, Ruuya ruu-chan, AnimaniacXOX, anime4youandme, SuperCrazedKITTY, Bubblycutie and Awesomenessdude, Miko A. Kimura, Otakucuddler, Campanella, XxX-Miku-chan-XxX, XxXMexaieShugosoraXxX, Mizuki Kagamine, princessplatinum, Shadow Fox777, ChocoCookiePuff, Random reviewer, Bluejay92, iPolaris, orangesky3, Bree-Bee223, kuri L.b., Enilec, Lria, CrazyPigtailedGirl, alphaprincess0803, Rklollita-69, WanderingSoulofTime, **and **xXMuffinChanXx!**

**Warning: **This page contains **mild language** and **crude humor.** Viewers below the age of 13 are advised to take precautions.

**Bold: **Singing, internet readings, and others.

_Italics: _Flashbacks/Dream-like trances, German, stomach rumbling, and specific words.

Hopefully, summer break will be more free for everyone.

* * *

_**Tokyo, Japan**_

_**11:49 P.M.**_

_**Metropolitan Police Department**_

**General POV**

Kiyoteru clutched the right side of his throbbing head. He had been at his computer all night, trying to find _any_ ideal information pertaining to the Kagamines, the family of the identified attacker on the assault of Japan's most wanted rapists. But so far, he hadn't found anything particularly useful.

The agent thought to himself, then typed a certain name on the black search bar.

**Kagamine Rin**

He clicked 'Enter'.

_**Searching…**_

Kiyoteru stared hard at the screen, waiting.

_**ERROR!**_

_**NO RESULTS FOUND.**_

Kiyoteru cursed, slamming both fists down on either side of the typing board. He had been at this for almost five hours, and there hadn't been any personal records listed on the Kagamine daughter, only her mother and twin brother. Sighing, he picked up the coffee on his desk and took a long sip. He rolled his mouse over and pulled up a captured photo of the 14-year-old attacker.

His eyes sharpened into dark slits. There was no listed birth certificate, school records, or even a single scrap of her D.N.A on the computer.

Just who _was_ this girl?

After a few minutes of contemplating, the agent finally sighed, deciding he had done enough research for the night. He clicked back to his e-mail, that was when a pop-up appeared on the screen.

**1 New Message(s) received!**

Without thinking, the agent clicked on his inbox.

**Subject: …**

**Sender: Unknown**

Kiyoteru's suspicions heightened, his eyes narrowing even further. But, he clicked on the received message.

"**Hiyama-san,**

**I provide the answers you've been looking for on your private case. But be aware, we are dangerous.**

**Best wishes."**

Kiyoteru then noticed the linked attachment at the bottom of the message. He stared at it, mesmerized by his battling thoughts.

Who had sent him this? And how had the stranger known about his private case? He hadn't told anyone he was investigating the Kagamine girl, not even Itsu-chan. What did the sender mean by 'we are dangerous'?

But, as anyone else would do, he double-clicked on the lined attachment. Another window popped up, and he noticed the top heading. "Project: VOCALOID?" He muttered, raising an eyebrow. He read the first list dated paragraphs. After a few minutes, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"What…"

Kiyoteru scrolled down the window, his eyes rapidly scanning the words. Beads of perspiration formed at the crown of his forehead, his heartbeat began to accelerate. The reading consisted of files, upgrades, and logs on a manmade creation dating seven years back. He then came across a certain part of the reading that drove him to a halt.

A clear snapshot of a little girl with short sunny hair and big blue eyes, appearing to be seven years old, was printed in the middle of the reading. The man leaned close, studying the child. In the picture, she was grinning and waving at the camera, wearing a simple white dress with a matching white hat at the top of her head, and in her right hand was a plush bunny. The background appeared to be of a large garden, she was in front of a duck pound consisting of water lilies.

The man froze.

Wait.

Why did the little girl look so familiar?

Hurriedly, he pulled up the stolen photo of 'Rin Kagamine', comparing the features. Both girls resembled each other . Same blonde hair, pale skin, blue eyes… it was undeniable, the agent concluded as he studied the photos, both girls were the same person.

All of sudden, multiple warning messages of incoming viruses popped up on the screen. Then, static exploded on the computer screen. Kiyoteru gasped and stood up in his chair in alarm, caught off-guard.

**Warning!**

**An incoming virus has corrupted the firewalls.**

"Hackers?" The man murmured, half-confused, his eyes narrowed. "At a time like this?"

**Warning!**

**The virus is causing this page to delete itself… 47% complete.**

The page, including the little girl's photo began to fade from existence. The agent's eyes widened.

No! He couldn't afford to lose this information! Not when he had finally found something on the subjected girl!

Quickly, Hiyama reached over his desk and furiously typed away at his keyboard, fighting to protect the preserved database. Then, as if nothing had happened, the screen cleared, returning to its normal state. The reading was back in place. Puzzled, he leaned close to the computer screen.

What had just…?

Without warning, another pop-up immediately popped up on the screen, making Kiyoteru blink in surprise. "What…" Regaining his composure, he leaned in close. After a few seconds, his forehead crinkled in confusion.

It was a snapshot sent to him from the hacker. A close-up picture of an adolescent's face. Kiyoteru's eyes then widened in recognition, he zoomed in closer on the photo.

It was a boy, appearing in his mid to late-teens. He had teal-colored, unkempt hair which hung along the edge of his jaw line. A dark smirk curved his lips, indicating hinted malice behind his charm. But the first thing Kiyoteru noticed about the boy, was his eyes.

His cold, dark-green eyes.

A mixture of amusement and fear burned inside the young investigator, he let out a harsh, unsteady laugh as he rested his hands on the keyboard.

He knew who sent the hacked message after all.

"Hatsune Mikuo."

* * *

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 12**

_**Cantarella**_

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* * *

**Miku's POV**

I sighed.

Chemistry was great and everything, but it was just downright _boring_. Good thing I had Len-kun as my lab partner.

"Hatsune…? Hatsu- NO! HATSUNE DON'T POUR THAT IN-" **BOOM!**

Everyone around me froze. They all turned to look and Len-kun and I. Rin, who had been working on the table across from us, poked her head from behind her partner out to stare at us. Blinking, I turned to look at Len-kun to see if he was okay, he was staring at me.

We were both covered in black dust in result of the failed chemical reaction. Bits and pieces of broken glass were scattered across our table, and the burner was still on.

A slow grin made its way onto Len-kun's face, I soon found myself grinning back as well. Before we knew it, we were both giggling, which rose into full-blown, teary-eyed laughter. I clutched his shoulder and rested my forehead in my other hand, still cracking up. He leaned forward and clutched his stomach, still laughing as well. We both couldn't control our laughter, it was just so funny.

Then, our laughter was immediately cut short on behalf of a very displeased-looking purple-haired professor. We both glanced up and smiled nervously.

"I suppose you two will find it amusing to have detention together in the Headmaster's office later this afternoon." Professor Gakupo spoke, irritated at the sight of me still fighting back giggles. "Also, you'll be staying after class to clean and wash the lab equipment. _Thoroughly_." With that, he walked back to his desk.

Len-kun turned back at me, the grin returning on his face. "Well, at least you'll be there." We both laughed a bit before cleaning up the mess we- I mean, _I_ made. Out of the corner of my eye though, I could see Rin staring at us.

Len-kun brought the dirty black burnt test tubes and beakers to me and I washed them. I stared at the test tubes. Some of them were all black, some of them were clear, but then some of them were black and clear. There were some cracked and some broken as well. I smiled at him in thanks.

Len-kun and I became good friends since the incident two months ago, I managed to learn a lot about him. His favorite foods were namely miso soup, chocolate, and bananas. He loved music and sports, namely soccer and basketball, but he hated running track.

Though, who could blame him?

"It's good to know professor Gakupo wasn't too mad at us." Len commented beside me as he removed his goggles. I laughed in reply. He grinned. "Though the mess _was_ your doing after all." I mocked a look of shock.

"At least I wasn't the one who mixed up the ingredients by mistake!" His cheeks flushed in embarrassment and I started giggling, soon, we both started laughing again.

"Heh. I guess we're both at fault," Len said, wiping a tear of mirth from his eye and flashed me a friendly smile, "that makes us even, Hatsune." I blushed, then my face fell as I looked down at the floor. For months we'd been calling each other by our last names but I didn't really like it. Now that we've become more close, it just felt strange to keep using our surnames… it made me feel like Rin was closer to Len; they always called each other by their first names. My blood boiled at that sudden thought.

"Hatsune?" Looking up, I met the worried gaze of Len-kun. "Is something wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

Shaking back my thoughts, I forced a smile. "Yes! I'm alright, Len-kun. Don't worry about me~." I fought to make myself look happy. He, however, appeared unconvinced.

"Hatsune… you know you can tell me whatever's on your mind, right?" Len said, his gorgeous blue eyes staring into my own. My entire self melted at his genuine concern, however, instead of telling him what I was thinking about, I simply smiled.

"Yes, I know. Thank you though."

Len-kun frowned, continuing to stare at me before sighing. "Okay, then." He turned back to collect the rest of the lab equipment. I sighed, allowing myself to relax my shoulders in relief. I allowed myself to clean the rest of the test tubes.

After cleaning everything in the classroom, we walked together to our next class like we normally did. Len-kun immediately swung the door open for me. I smiled at him in thanks before walking out, having him follow me afterwards.

I sighed to myself.

I _really_ wanted to ask Len if we could refer to each other with our first names, but… thinking about it now, it seemed pretty stupid. Besides, what if he laughed at me?

But…

I took a deep breath.

"Kagamine-kun?" I began to ask, causing his head to turn to me.

"Yes?"

"I… um, can I-"

"Leeeeen!" A light, airy voice sounded. A bouncy white bow attached to a sunny mop of hair quickly passed in front of me, causing my tracks to stop. A girl with her face oddly similar to Len-kun's stepped in front of him and beamed. With two hands, she tugged at both sides of his uniform shirt. "Len~!"

Len blinked, "Rin?" He looked at her intensely, "What are you doing in the halls? I told you to go on ahead with Megurine-san." Rin, noticing me, suddenly became shy and started to tug on the cloth of his shirt. She looked into his eyes, as if trying to tell him something, apparently she succeeded in doing so. "Oh… you were waiting for me and Hatsune, is that it?"

"… No." Rin finally said. Her eyes flickered over to me, making me cringe, then she looked back at Len with an innocent expression.

I cleared my throat, keeping a still face. "Oh, that's rather nice of you, Kagamine-san… waiting for us-" Rin cut me off with a hard stare. Her light blue eyes turned icier than ever.

"Not you." Immediately, I was turned off. But before I could say anything to _that_, the blonde immediately pulled a very confused Len along to our next class.

"Wha- Rin? Wait-" He looked back to me, grinning apologetically. Rin, on the other hand tried pulling him towards the gym. I was too shocked to say anything, then I scowled.

Who… did that girl think she was?

First, she decided to wreck the ball during gym yesterday _right in front of me_, then she answers to me rudely, and now she thinks she can drag Len-kun around like that?

I walked forward and quickly grabbed onto one of Len's arms, making Rin come to a abrupt halt. Spinning around, her eyes wandered to me, briefly wide before narrowing into slits.

A silence.

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.

.

"Uh-"

"Please let go." Rin finally spoke after several seconds, her voice soft but demanding. Len's confused gaze flashed back and forth from me to Rin; he appeared very lost.

"You two…?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Kagamine-san." I answered coolly, staring straight at the girl. Irritation flickered behind her eyes, but she remained composed.

"Why is that?"

I tried my best to offer a sincere smile. "Because I was talking to Kagamine-kun first. And it wouldn't be polite to just pull him away like that while we were having a pleasant conversation, don't you think?"

Okay, so we weren't actually communicating while we were walking, but we were _about_ to.

That counts, right?

Rin's eyes narrowed, but her grip on Len's shirt began to loosen. She gave a slow, reluctant nod before letting go of Len, stepping away from the both of us. Satisfied, I let go of Len's arm. Turning to him, I smiled. "Now then, shall we?" Though still confused, he nodded. And we, including Rin, started walking to the gym. I was on one side of Len while Rin was on the other, staring at the ground. I mentally sighed to myself as I stole a glance at her.

Rin, that girl… when Len-kun had mentioned her a few weeks before, I imagined she was just a sweet little girl living in his neighborhood, since he regarded her as a sister and all… but, I felt my face scrunch up a bit in distaste, upon first seeing her in actuality… she was regarded as Len-kun's twin 'sister.'

And she was nothing like I expected. She seemed so… vague, stuck-up even, she rarely talked. When she did, it was only either Len or her other small group of friends, but she acted catlike around other people. But, as it was very clear, she had a strong attachment to Len which was unusual since they were 'siblings', no one would be that attached to their 'twin.'

I was suspicious.

Because somehow, even when Len-kun said Rin was his sister…

I didn't believe him.

"So. What were you trying to ask me about, Hatsune?" Immediately, I looked at Len, who was staring at me intently. "Did you need anything?" Beside him, Rin twitched. I blinked.

"Ah…"

Then it hit me.

"Oh!" I could feel my face radiate a bright hue of pink. "Oh…! I-I… well, it's nothing, Kagamine-kun. I just…" I let my gaze drop to the floor, blushing. "… I just wanted to know… are we friends?"

"Uh…?" He sounded taken off-guard, "Well yeah, of course we are. Why?" I nearly froze.

"I was wondering if I…" I took a deep breath, glancing up at Len shyly. "Would you mind if I called you 'Len-kun' instead?" I waited for a reaction, but his face showed no sign of emotion.

I panicked.

"I just thought because friends normally call each other by their first names, I could call you by your first name instead of 'Kagamine-kun' all the time." I quickly explained, feeling my face heat up every second. He just stared at me. I took that as a bad sign, and my panic rose even further. "But, of course I totally understand if you're uncomfortable-!" I stopped when his face suddenly twitched.

Then, he began to laugh.

I was shocked, and even Rin looked surprised.

After a while, he finally looked back at me, still chuckling. "Heh… you're too funny, Hatsune." My jaw could've dropped to the floor.

"What…"

He sighed, giving me a sheepish grin as he shoved his hands into both pockets. "To tell you the truth, I meant to ask you the same thing… I've been getting tired of the surnames. It made me feel like we were strangers."

He was about to ask the same thing?

My heart could've burst from joy.

"Can I call you 'Miku?" Len asked shyly, smiling. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Only if I get to call you 'Len-kun." His smile turned into a grin.

"Sure."

My smile widened, "Okay then… Len-kun. It's official then~." His blue eyes twinkled with mischief.

"You're right… Miku."

I laughed, dancing up to him and comfortably hugging one of his arms, making him fluster cutely. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Rin's eyes flicker back and forth between Len-kun and I. Her cheeks began to puff out in anger. I couldn't help but smirk to myself. She wouldn't be the only one who'd get close to Len, sister or not.

Then without warning, Rin suddenly grabbed his other arm and began tugging him along towards her side as we walked to class.

"Wha-! Rin?" Len yelped as his body was suddenly jerked to the side, causing his face to contort in pain as I was still holding onto his other arm.

Narrowing my eyes, I violently pulled Len towards my side, causing another yelp to erupt from him. Scowling a bit, Rin pulled him back to her side, making him exclaim. Not wanting her to win, I pulled him back.

It went on like that until we reached the gym, that was we had to depart to change in the locker rooms. But inside, I knew there would be future battles between me and Rin for Len's attentions.

This was war, after all.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

"_H-Heavens, miss Rin! Why are you walking so fast?"_

Ignoring Gacha, I simply puffed out my cheeks, stomping up the stairs.

It was the lunch period.

Miku was eating with Len today, she needed help with miss Ann's homework from last night. I decided not to eat with the Kaito, Meiko-nee, Ted or Akaito.

I just wanted to be left alone for the rest of the day.

So here I was, stomping up to the school roof where I could find some peace for myself…

Well, except for Gacha.

"_Miss Riiiin!"_ Behind me, the little robot complained,_ "Slow down for goodness sake! I can barely keep up with you!"_ That was when I snapped. I whirled around to face the machine with an irritated glare.

"_I do not want to hear your voice right now, Gachapoid. I'm still very upset at you."_ Gachapoid's form withered under my burning gaze. I pressed on, _"And who or what gave you permission that you could just follow me here without my consent?"_ This morning, Gachapoid had suddenly decided to follow me without question. On the bus ride to the school, I caught him hiding inside my satchel.

"_It was for an important cause!"_ Gachapoid replied hotly, _"As your servant, I am required to follow you at all times!"_

I shook my head in annoyance. _"This is ridiculous,"_ I turned my heel and walked up the rest of the stairs. _"I knew I should've taken that opportunity of leaving you behind. I wouldn't have to put up with this otherwise."_

"_The same goes for me if you weren't so stubborn." _Gacha grumbled.

I swung the door open and sat down on the middle of the floor, looking up into the wide sky.

I didn't enjoy how close Miku and Len were becoming… especially lately. They would laugh and cling to each other, all I could do was stand by and watch (although a few hours back I felt Miku had been getting too close with Len).

It made me feel pathetic.

I sighed, staring at the prized orange Nami had packed in my lunchbox. I couldn't eat though, I felt too numb.

"_Really, miss Rin. I sometimes wonder how you can manage wearing that get-up, it's so hot and itchy in there."_ Gacha remarked before looking around in curiosity. _"Oh…? That 'Len' boy isn't up here with you?"_

"_He's eating with Miku."_ I answered, unzipping the lunch Nami packed for me. When I opened it, I saw pickled ham with rice, various shrimps, and leafy greens.

My mouth watered at the sight

"_Grooooowl…"_

I sighed, rubbing my stomach.

Gacha's beady eyes blinked in confusion. _"Miku? What's a 'Miku?"_ I shook my head in disapproval.

"_A girl."_

"_Anything interesting about her?"_

"_No…"_ I answered, starting to peel the prized orange in my hand, _"she's just a girl who I share some classes with."_

"_Are you… friends with her?"_ Gacha's tone sounded skeptical. He always was suspicious of the people (or 'humans' as he preferred to call them) who I was around.

I frowned at the question, inserting an orange slice in my mouth. "_Definitely not."_

"_Oh. Wonderful."_ The little machine floated up and down breezily in the air. _"I have to admit I wasn't fond of the idea of you attending this school, but it appears you're quite safe here. I might even be able to relax without having to worry for days on end."_

I furrowed my entire in slight bemusement, swallowing the rest of the slice. _"Speaking of which, why did you follow me all the way out here?"_ I asked, frowning when the robot's entire structure grew rigid. Laughing nervously, he turned around to face me.

"_Aha… erm, what was that you said, miss Rin?"_

My frown deepened.

"_Tell me, Gacha."_ Hearing those words, the machine sank to the floor in defeat. I continued eating the orange in my hand, waiting for his explanation. He let out a mechanical sigh as he floated back up, his round structure bobbing towards me.

"_You recall telling me about a familiar teal-haired boy you saw yesterday?"_ I blinked, slightly taken aback at the seriousness in his voice.

"_I do."_

"_You said he looked familiar,"_ Gacha stated, _"and that he spoke German."_ Again, I blinked. That boy from yesterday _did_ look familiar, not to mention he spoke the familiar language as I did.

"_But what does this have to do him?"_ I asked, tilting my head sideways. _"I only saw him once, and it could've been just anyone."_

Gacha shook his entire structure. _"Don't you see, madam? It couldn't have been 'just anyone'. No one experiences that kind of feeling you felt when you see someone you might recognize! This could be a clue to your forgotten memories!"_ My eyes widened as I heard that statement.

Gacha was right.

I looked up to the sky, in deep thought. Even now I could make a clear image of that perfect boy who I thought looked familiar

His tall, sculpted built.

His pale, handsome face with rich teal hair lining along the edge of the jaw.

And his gentle, charming smile…

But the first thing I recognized about him… was his deep dark-green eyes. Then I caught myself, gasping. There had been something I hadn't noticed before when I met him.

An image of him flashed right before my eyes.

He… looked _strikingly_ similar to Miku.

"RIIIIIIINNY-BOO!"

I nearly jumped at the sudden voice adding into my thoughts, causing me to gag on the remains of the orange I was eating. Looking towards the door, I could hear quick footsteps approaching.

Teto?

"Are you up here, Rin-san?" I heard Luka's sweet voice calling out.

"_Gwaah!" _Gacha circled around in full-blown panic, _"Oh noooo! M-More humans are coming!"_ He continued to flail around, desperate. Without wasting another moment, he immediately dove under my uniform skirt, causing me to squeak in discomfort. Before I could do anything, Teto and Luka appeared at the door.

"There you are! We were looking for you!" Teto exclaimed, both girls walking over to me with their lunch boxes. I had to control the shivers the ran up and down my spine as the cold object moved under my skirt.

I made an attempt to smile, though it was shaky.

"W-… were you?"

Luka smiled. "Yes." And she took a seat next to me, unpacking her lunch. "But Meiko-senpai and Kaito-senpai were worried about you too, so-"

"- Being the stalkers we are, me and Luka decided to go look for you." Teto finished, grinning. She took out a long square of bread and began biting into it. "And here you are, eating lunch all by yourself like a sad, depressed person who suffers from a traumatic childhood so she doesn't trust anyone enough to at least eat with regular human beings," She sighed dramatically, "it happens just like in the anime shows." She sighed again, taking another bite out of her bread. "But anyway… DAMN I HATE THAT KEI-SENSEI!" She cursed, causing us to jolt in alarm, under me, Gacha began to squirm, I clamped both hands on him.

"My legs are killing me! I can't even walk straight anymore!" Teto complained, banging her head against the concrete. "But… at least I got to see Ted-kun without his shirt on…"

Beside me, Luka rolled her eyes. "You're worse than a lecherous old man."

At that, Teto shot up. "Hey! I may be a pervert, but I have rights. I dream of making love to Ted-kun every night, just so you know."

Luka coughed and gagged on the tea she was sipping. A large ball of sweat rolled down the back of her head. "… Of course _you'd_ be the one to say that."

"No really, Luka. Sex is a useful, essential way in life. God made it for us, therefore, he wants me to bear cute red-headed little guys with Ted-kun, and you get to be the nanny~ of course~." Again, Luka rolled her eyes.

"Don't get me involved in whatever goes on in that dirty mind of yours."

"Also," Teto continued, ignoring her, "You and professor Gakupo can get down on it tonight too. Obviously, God's plans is for you are to bear freaky, mutant eggplant babies."

Luka's eyes widened and her face turned scarlet, she threw down her canteen and shrieked, "TETO!"

"Be fruitful. Oh, and don't forget. You can't use condoms."

"THAT'S IT…!" Luka started towards her with a menacing glow surrounding about her.

Teto's eyes widened. "OH. FU-!" She shot up and scampered towards the door, running as fast as the wind carried her. "KYA!" She screamed, running out door.

"Wai- TETO!" Luka ran a few steps, then stopped, sighing in defeat. "Ugh, never mind. I give up." She walked back to where I was, slumping down on the ground. Beneath me, I could feel Gacha shiver.

The pink-haired beauty recollected her food, taking a small bite out of it. She looked up at the sky with a new smile on her face. "Well, I can see why you're up here, the breeze is so nice." She looked past at the landscape below us, sighing dreamily at the light-brown and red trees. "Fall's come again so quickly." I nodded. "But I have to say spring is a lot better, everything's so green and fresh."

I nodded again half-heartedly, sighing.

Noticing this, Luka's gaze snapped to me. She put her lunch down. "Is something the matter, Rin-san?"

I shook my head. "No… I am fine."

Luka frowned. "You can tell me what's going on, Rin-san. I won't tease you for it." I hesitated, knowing her words were sincere. My mind had wandered back to Len and Miku, and their time together.

"…"

"Come on." Luka encouraged.

I sighed for what seemed the umpteenth time of the day. "Do you have someone you like, Luka?" I asked, looking back at her. At first, she blinked, then a red hue colored her cheeks.

"Why are you asking me this, Rin-san?" She stammered, looking nervous. I tiled my head sideways in confusion.

"Do I make you uncomfortable?"

"Oh. N-No, no. Of course not." Luka answered quickly, laughing. "I'm just… a little embarrassed that's all. But," she sighed, smiling as a pretty blush colored her face, "I do. I do have feelings for someone… but I'm not sure if he feels the same way about me"

'Feelings'?

'Shared feelings'?

Oh, Meiko-nee mentioned something like that. I nodded to show I partially understood what she was saying.

"Why not? Luka is very beautiful and intelligent girl. What kind of person is he?"

Luka's smile widened. "He's very smart and very handsome." She said, "A little over my age, I suppose… maybe in his twenties or so, but he's much taller than I am. He has long hair similar to mine, but it's purple. And he wears it tied back most of the time when I see him. He can appear serious most of the time, but inside he's gentle and mild."

I blinked. "Professor Gakupo?"

She blushed at the mention of his name. "Y… Yes." I blinked a few more times before looking at her in confusion.

"But doesn't he like Luka?"

Luka's smile faded. She shook her head sadly. "It wouldn't matter if he returned my feelings. I'd rather see him happy."

"It wouldn't make you happy if your feelings weren't returned?" I asked, even more confused.

Luka in turn, gazed afar with a calm expression on her face. "Of course it would make me happy if professor Kamui felt the same way about me, but his happiness is what matters most to me. It'd be selfish of me to get in the way of what would make him happiest." Hearing those words, I felt a sharp pain hit me inside my chest. I grasped at it as an image of Len laughing with Miku flashed before me.

A sinking feeling built up inside me.

I really liked Len… truly, he had been the most kindest person I've ever met. He didn't look at me as if I were filthy, and didn't reject me when I clung to him over the past few weeks. In truth, I wanted to be at his side forever.

The pain in my chest throbbed even faster, making me grunt with discomfort. My fist began to tremble.

But now that he was spending more and more time with Miku, I could see him becoming more drawn to her than me. He was leaving me behind, letting me writhe in the complicated pains of my forgotten past. And that wasn't what I wanted. I didn't want to not share him with anyone else. Not Miku, not Kaito, not Meiko-nee… not even Nami. If he looked at anyone else, he'd go off with that person and leave me alone.

Alone.

All by myself…

My eyes widened. A cold sensation washed over me as I discovered that thought.

Could it be that I was afraid of losing Len not because I cared for him, but because I didn't want to be alone…? If so, then that was a very _unforgivable_ sin. I then realized I didn't deserve Len at all.

I felt the color from my eyes drain, my fingers grew numb and cold as I clutched the front of my chest.

I was, after all, nothing but a useless burden. I had no right to intervene in Len's happiness. To wish to prevent what Len wanted was entirely _selfish_.

"Rin-san?" I looked up, snapping out of my trance. Luka hovered near me, a worried frown plastered on her face. "Are you alright?"

Before I could answer, the door suddenly swung open.

"YO~! I'm baaaack! And guess who I brought?" Glancing up, Luka and I looked to see who it was. Teto ran towards us, grinning and pumping her fist. Len and Miku were walked behind her, looking more calm in contrast.

"Hey, Rin. Megurine-san." Len waved to us. Beside him, Miku nodded in our direction.

I nodded back and Luka smiled. "Hello, Kagamine-kun. Hello, Hatsune-san. Have you both already finished your lunches?"

"Yeah. We're done." Len answered, yawning and stretching his arms out. "I could use a nap right now though; I'm tired." Luka and Teto shared a laugh.

"Aren't we all?" Teto grinned, shoving the rest of the bread in her mouth.

Then, the bell rang.

"Oh, fourth period's starting!" Teto announced through a full mouth, swiping up her books and lunchbox. "C'mon, Rinny-boo! Off to miss Ann's class!" She ran full-speed out the door, hurrying down the steps. Luka sighed, getting up from her spot and flashing a smile at me.

"It was nice talking to you, though I didn't really to eat my lunch…" Luka sighed in disappointment, then her smile returned, "Oh well. Bye, Rin-san. Just let me know if Teto gets out of hand." I nodded, glancing down at the rest of my unfinished lunch.

I hadn't been able to eat the rest of the food Nami worked so hard on… but then, I could finish it later on.

"Hey Rin, you wanna walk with us to the next class?" Len asked, still at the door with the teal-haired beauty. As I stole a glance at her, the cold feeling returned.

Len deserved to be with a beautiful girl like Miku, who was even prettier than me.

I couldn't act selfish anymore.

Reluctantly, I shook my head. "Thank you, but I'd rather stay here for a little longer. Please go on ahead." I was certain Miku looked startled.

Len showed confusion. "Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"C'mon, Len-kun. Let's get to class so your sister can have some privacy." Miku urged, once or twice looking at me before latching herself onto Len. He looked at her then at me.

"Well… okay. See you, Rin." With that, they walked out and closed the door. I took a few moments to stare at the closed door before hanging my head, sighing. Then I remembered Gachapoid, immediately snatching him from underneath my skirt.

"_Never do that again!"_ I commanded fiercely, the heat rising inside me. _"Just hide inside my shirt like you always do!"_ Meekly, the machine drew back, bowing.

"_I apologize, miss Rin."_

I puffed in annoyance, gathering my things. Looking out towards the horizon, I could see the brown-tinted tress swaying in the wind, as if they were waving. In the cloudy sky, the afternoon sun hid behind a fog and made everything appear gray.

Fall had arrived. I had met Len and the others in mid-summer. So much had happened back then, and here I was.

Now Len was becoming more drawn to other people like Miku, as I had become drawn to him. I clung to him daily, acting selfish. Things were changing, and I could no longer act as if Len could only belong to me. He didn't deserve that, he was too kind. He had wonderful friends, family, and had lots of fun everyday in Japan.

I couldn't even remember what happened to me before I met Len and his family. I didn't have any real memories of who I was before. My thoughts started to collide past me as I looked onto the hiding sun.

In truth, Len didn't need me. And I definitely didn't deserve to be at his side. Not after all I've put him and his family through. It was time I stopped this selfishness of mine, starting with alleviating the burden of clinging to him wherever he went. I didn't have to be treated like a child anymore.

"_Mistress?"_ I snapped out of my daze and turned to the robot beside me. _"Shouldn't we be heading off to your next class?"_ I blinked before nodding quickly in realization.

"_Oh… that's right!"_ Immediately, as I scrambled towards the door, Gacha dived into the open crook of my uniform shirt. I hurried down the steps and raced into the hall, my previous thoughts returning, making me sigh.

Like Luka, even if Len did like Miku instead of me, seeing his happiness mattered most. So I had to stop burdening him. Now.

As I rushed past people in the hallway, I thought I had caught a glimpse of teal.

* * *

**Len's POV**

"How is it that you're so nice all the time, Len-kun?" Miku asked as we walked into miss Ann's classroom. I rose an eyebrow.

"You think I'm nice?"

"Well, that's what everyone says." Miku smiled. "You're polite and friendly, and you'd talk to anyone." I chuckled, rubbing the back of my neck in embarrassment.

"Heh… well actually, I'm not all that nice to my brother. He drives me insane." It was true too, Kaito annoyed the hell out me right to the point where it was _impossible _to be polite.

"You're talking about Kaito-senpai?" Miku asked, looking at me with her big, turquoise eyes. I nodded. Then, she gave me a strange look. "What about your sister?"

I looked at her strangely, "Rin?"

"Yes." We took our newly assigned seats, which were arranged next to each other. "Does she ever annoy you?"

"No, she doesn't." I answered, rather quickly. A look of mild confusion crossed Miku's face.

"Oh… well, I just noticed she really seems to like being around you a lot. I mean, she almost never leaves your side. And she even drags you around wherever she wants to go, sometimes when you're busy too. Doesn't that annoy you?" I stared at Miku, who now looked agitated while staring at her lap.

A few moments of silence passed between us.

Then, I spoke.

"It _does_ get tiring sometimes," I admitted, grinning sheepishly, "but I don't actually mind. Rin's a lot different from Kaito; she's nicer for one thing." Miku glanced up, biting her bottom lip. I took it as a sign to continue. "And she can't help being shy, especially around other people, though she's opening up more." I smiled, "'Course I never did find out why she trusts me so much."

"I guess… she really likes Len-kun." Miku replied carefully, nodding. Then, she lowered her head. "But not enough."

I saw Rin dart into the room and took her place on the other desk beside me. Everyonne sat down as an attractive woman made her way up the front, clasping both hands in front of her. Her red lips curved into a pleasant smile. "Hello, students. Before we begin our lesson today, I'd like to make an announcement." She paused dramatically for effect. "Today, I'm introducing all of you to a new student."

Murmurs surrounded the room.

"Is this History and Literature II with Miss Ann?" Everyone looked up to the open doorway to see who had spoken so suddenly.

A guy, about my age and height, was standing in the doorway. He was wearing the Seija uniform, complete with a green tie. He was pale and slender, with teal hair and green eyes…wait, teal hair? Green eyes?

I faced my left, where Miku was sitting. I noticed her eyes had grown huge and her jaw slacked open slightly in shock. Also, her face became incredibly pale.

"Yes, this is the right class," Miss Ann greeted the student with a warm smile, "You must be the new student." The teal-haired guy who looked similar to Miku, nodded and smiled. "Well, by all means, come on in." As he walked passed, the guy had taken a brief glance at Miku, who flinched.

"Everyone, this is…" Miss Ann started, waiting for the new student to jump in.

"Hatsune Mikuo," The teal-haired guy said, smiling, "and it's a pleasure to meet you all." He finished, bowing lightly. Knowing the girls in my class, most of them began to squeal in excitement. I studied the guy carefully. Apparently he shared Miku's last name. Not only that… but they both looked identical in hair and facial features, like twins.

But judging from the looks of his manner, he seemed nice enough.

"Hatsune-kun has recently transferred here from Germany; he'll be studying in Japan for the next few months. Please treat him nicely, everyone." Miss Ann said, smiling. Suddenly, a hand shot up, it belonged to a blushing girl.

"U-Um! Hatsune-kun! Are you in relation to Miku-san over there?" Some eyes wandered over to where Miku was.

Mikuo Hatsune's smile widened and he nodded. "To be more precise, she's my elder twin."

"No way! She is?" A boy from our class exclaimed, "Wow! You both really do look alike!" Mikuo Hatsune chuckled.

"I assure you, there's really nothing to compare. And please reconsider what you just said, Miku-chan doesn't appreciate those statements."

"Alright, alright. That's enough for now." Miss Ann clapped her hands to gather everyone's attention. "We can all get to know each other later on. Hatsune-kun, if you could take a seat over there next to the window, please, so we may begin with the lesson. Thank you." Nodding, Mikuo Hatsune started heading towards where his seat was as Miss Ann began talking again. Then, just as he was walking down in our aisle, he stopped directly in front of where I sat.

But instead of looking at me, his eyes were on Rin, who looked up at him in slight surprise. I raised a brow, wondering why he was staring at Rin. For a moment, both of them were expressionless, they just stared at each other.

Hatsune smiled.

"_Wir treffen uns wieder, Prinzessin."_

Rin's eyes shot wide open, and she gave a small gasp. Clutching the front of her shirt, her hands began to tremble and a faint blush colored her cheeks. Hatsune simply smiled, nodded, and walked away from her desk as if nothing had happened. Rin's eyes, however, followed him as she turned her head, still looking startled.

My eyes narrowed at this.

What had that guy said to Rin just now?

I turned to Miku, who was staring straight at the back of her retreating brother. I took a glance at Miss Ann to see if she was looking before leaning over. "So…" I began, still staring at her brother as well, "that kid's your little brother?"

A pause.

"… Yes," Miku whispered back, her eyes narrowing into slits, "and he shouldn't be here." Struck by her words, I snapped my gaze to her.

"What do you mean?"

Miku tensed. She reached over and gripped my arm, biting her lip. "I can't say…" Then, she looked at me, all the seriousness in her eyes. "But one thing for sure is that he's definitely not looking for a pleasant reunion."

* * *

**Kaito's POV**

"Toughen up, Kaito. Life's a bitch sometimes." Meiko 'comfortingly' said as I banged my head against the table.

I couldn't believe it… everything…

How could it come to this?

"There's no point in living ooooooooooooon." I moaned, banging my head against the table. Behind me, I could just feel Meiko rolling her eyes at me.

"God, Kaito. You spilled _one_ ice-cream during lunch. You can always buy another one later. Now stop moping around, you big lug, you're not making your life any easier."

"You can go fuck my life." I mumbled.

"Do it yourself. Now get up or I'm gonna end up dragging your ass to the next class."

I groaned. "God, _fine_." I finally managed to lift myself off the desk, "But I'm only doing this for you, Mei-chan." For a moment, I thought Meiko sounded flustered.

"What…! D-Don't talk like that, stupid!" I rose a brow at this, turning to her as we walked out of class.

"What's with you?" I asked, noticing her flushed face.

Grumbling, Meiko shook her head. "N-Nothing…" And she walked a few paces faster than me. My brow rose even higher as I quickened my own pace to keep up with her. She had been acting different lately, and I didn't know why… which was weird, because being her childhood friend, I'd normally figure it out in less than a second.

We walked into Ms. Mizki's classroom, where our next class was. Here we had home economics, which were mixed with some of the freshmen. Ms. Mizki wasn't bad herself, she was pretty hot for a teacher, but she could get pretty scary sometimes. But the weird thing about her was that she had a giant pet tarantella she called 'Alexander', which was displayed in the front of the classroom.

Rin, shota, and that Megurine girl went to this class too, also at this hour. But they usually got here late so I was kinda surprised to find them already at our table.

Looking up, Luka smiled at us. "Oh. Kaito-senpai, Meiko-senpai. Good afternoon." We smiled back.

"Heya, Luka." Meiko greeted, tussling her pink hair around before grabbing a seat. "How's that crazy cousin of yours?" I nearly shuddered at the mention of Kasane, that girl was _insane_, I swear she scares the friggin' bejeezus out of me.

Luka laughed embarrassedly. "Oh… Teto's doing fine." She quickly changed the subject, "Anyway, did you know we have a new transfer student in our class? He's from Germany!" My eyes flickered over to Rin, who seemed to be in a daze.

"Really?" Meiko sounded interested, "What's he like?"

"He's the twin brother of Miku." Len said, crossing his arms, "He calls himself 'Hatsune Mikuo." Meiko looked strangely at him.

"Hatsune Mikuo?" A thoughtful expression imprinted on her face, she looked deep in thought. "Hm… haven't heard of him." Then, she rolled her eyes. "I just hope he's not like his sister." Turning to the door, I spotted a boy with teal hair who looked incredibly similar to pigtails, walk in.

"Is that him?" I pointed to the doorway, causing everyone to look up, Rin especially. I saw him walk over to Ms. Mizki and talk.

"Wow… he really does look like Hatsune-san." Luka commented.

I couldn't help but stare at the kid, who was smiling with such charm and friendliness. Maybe it was just me, but… there was something weird about him, and I couldn't shake that feeling. Then he suddenly glanced over at us and smiled. The rest of us noticed he was looking at Rin, who blinked. Then he shifted his gaze back to Ms. Mizki, continuing the conversation.

"Ooooh, was he looking at you, Rin-chan?" Meiko teased, elbowing Rin's side. Rin blinked again, then a shade of pink colored her cheeks.

Weird.

"O-Oh… I don't think so." Rin answered, looking down at her lap. On her right, was Len, who looked slightly agitated before glancing up at the Hatsune kid, eyes narrowing.

"Huh… twins, just like you and Rin." Meiko grinned at Len, who looked like he was about to object before remembering Luka was still here, reluctantly, he nodded.

"… Yeah."

Of course, Rin remained oblivious.

"Len-kuuuun!" Suddenly, four senior girls from our class flounced up to Len, blushing and smiling.

"Can we ask a favor?" The tall girl with the long brown hair asked, smiling hopefully. Being the crazy heartthrob Len was, he smiled.

"Sure. What do you need?"

Squealing, the other three seniors shoved the brown-haired girl out of the way and presented a frilly yellow dress lined black lace with puffy sleeves; it looked about Len's size.

"PLEASE COSPLAY THIS FOR US~!"

Suddenly, everyone was looking our way.

My jaw dropped open, glancing at the others. I could see everyone else had reacted in shock, well, except for Rin, who was staring around in confusion. Then I glanced at Len.

His face was blue.

* * *

"Kyaaaaaaah~! SO CUUUTE!"

"Hau~! Len-kun! You look so pretty~!"

"Aw! You're so adorable, Len-sama!"

"I want a picture of this! Poster-size!"

"I WANNA KIDNAP YOU AND CHAIN YOU IN MY BASMENT~!"

"…"

Poor Shota.

There he was, standing in the middle of the classroom, dressed in one of the dresses for the upcoming play in December. Apparently, it was supposed to be a princess gown.

The senior girls had even managed to convince Shota to let his hair down, making himself look completely like a girl. Students were crowded around Len, some of the girls taking pictures with their cellphones, giggling and chattering.

He looked like he wanted to die. And who could blame him? Any guy would wish the same thing if they'd been raped by girly outwear.

And I would've felt bad for him if I weren't such a terrible brother.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That dress really suits you, shota-kun…! BWAHAHA!" Instead of busting his butt out of the classroom like a real brother would, I had been laughing at his misery. In fact, I felt as if my sides were about to split any moment. Beside me, I could see Meiko and Luka holding back smiles of their own.

"Uwaaah~ he looks just you, Rin-san~!" The brunette senior squealed when Rin came out of the other room, immediately grabbing and pushing her against Len.

"L-… Len?"

Rin uttered, looking surprised. Curious, she leaned in closer. So close, in fact, to the point where their noses were touching.

"Is that you?"

A blushing Len looked towards the other side.

"Yay! This dress is a breakthrough, ladies!" The brunette senior announced, clapping her hands. "I can't wait for the 'Story of Evil' play to come! Our outfits will be simply amazing~!" Everyone cheered. Then, Ms. Mizki strolled in, looking impressed.

"My, that dress looks fabulous. Well done, Minamoya-san." The brunette senior blushed, bowing.

"I-I can show you some my designs if you'd like, Ms. Mizki…"

The normally stern teacher smiled. "I would like that very much."

Minamoya's eyes lit up, immediately, she grabbed Len. "C'mon, Kagamine-kun~! We're gonna use you as our model! LADIES!" The small, squealing band of senior girls and other students ran after her and entered the other room. The poor blond was shoved through the doorway.

Never to return.

Just as they left, Meiko and even Luka broke into high-strung laughter, cackling hysterically and clutching their stomachs.

"P-Poor Kagamine-kun, he's too nice sometimes…" Luka gasped, her face turning bright red.

"Hahaha! Oh god…!" Meiko laughed out loud, slapping a hand against her forehead. I grinned ear-to-ear; I hadn't been the only one who found a crossdressing Len hilarious. Rin tilted her head sideways, frowning.

"Why do you laugh? Len did not look happy at all…"

Luka wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, giggling. "Y-You're right, Rin-san. We shouldn't be laughing at this…"

Meiko nodded in agreement, trying to stifle the rest of her snickers. "Yeah… well, anyway, what did I hear about a play?" I quirked a brow.

"You mean the school play?"

"Yeah. What's that about?"

Luka, who had regained her composure, cleared her throat. "The play is called 'The Story of Evil', based off the actual novel. The auditions start in November."

Meiko rose an eyebrow. "So what's the story about?"

Luka smiled. "The plot takes place in a vast kingdom called Lucifenia, whose popular name was the 'Kingdom of Yellow', was ruled by a tyrannical 14-year-old princess. Under her absolute monarchism, everything was exploited from people and the ones who did not obey her were executed without mercy." She paused, "A servant who looked like her, was always beside the princess who was called the 'Daughter of Evil' by the people. The princess and the servant were the same age since they were twins in fact. The princess's selfishness caused a war and many deaths, and that's when madness unfolds…."

Meiko whistled. "Sounds complicated." Luka laughed, her eyes twinkling.

"I think the dress Kagamine-kun was wearing earlier is supposed to be princess's main outfit for the play. It's pretty exciting if you think about it."

"Yeah," I agreed, looking over to Rin, "what do you think, Rabbit girl?"

Rin, however, wasn't paying attention. Instead, she was looking over to where the new kid was; he was reading on his desk, then he looked up as if he had sensed a presence. His eyes fell on Rin, then he smiled and waved.

A slow blush crept onto Rin's face, who looked away in embarrassment. Both Meiko and Luka took notice of this.

"Ooooh, was that Hatsune-kun smiling at you just now?" Luka asked, smiling knowingly. Meiko grinned and decided to join in.

"What? You two got some chemistry going on already?"

"No!" Rin's answer was abrupt and harsh, causing us to jump.

Her puffed cheeks were stained pink and she looked upset, which seemed out of character for someone so reserved. She had stood up from her chair, shaking her head fervently. "He was just being polite! He was just being courteous! And even if he was looking at me, is that something so terrible?" She exclaimed, her lips began to quiver. Meiko blinked, looking just as taken-off guard as I did.

"Well, geez. Rinny-chan," Meiko said, "there's no need to act like that. We were just playing around, weren't we, Luka-chan?" Luka, who had been staring shell-shocked at Rin, blinked in realization before nodding.

Rin blinked before sinking into her chair in embarrassment, her cheeks glowing.

"I… I am sorry."

I frowned, leaning over bunny-chan. "What's gotten into you, rabbit girl? Tired?" She shook her head, making me frown further. I glanced over at the Hatsune kid before looking back at her. "Or is that new kid bothering you?"

Rin hesitated.

"No…"

"What's wrong then?" Meiko asked, finally getting serious. Luka leaned on Rin's desk as well, looking concerned. Rin looked up, curling her lips slightly.

"I have nothing against Miku's brother…" The blonde said in her usual soft voice, "it's just that…" her voice trailed off and she looked down at the floor, pursing her lips together.

"Just what?" I demanded, which made rabbit girl flinch slightly. She sighed before looking over at the Hatsune kid, who appeared to be reading his book.

"I think… I've met him somewhere before."

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something brown and fuzzy crawling on the top of Luka's head. An eerie feeling rushed through me as I turned fully to face the pink girl. That was when the blood went to my brain.

Resting on top of Luka's head, was a big, disgusting tarantella with its hairy legs spread across the crown of her head. I flashed my eyes to the black cage set on Ms. Mizuki's desk.

It was left open.

I flickered my eyes back to Luka's head, the blood draining from my face.

… Shit.

It was Alexander.

"Uh… Megurine-chan?" I croaked, raising a shaking finger. "T-… There's something in your hair." Confused, Luka reached for the top of her head and froze when her fingers brushed across Cantarella's hairy body.

"SPIIIIIIDER!" The pink-haired freshman shrieked, grabbing everyone else's attention. She bolted from our table and started screaming at the top of her lungs. "EEEEW! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFFFFFFF!" Seeming too afraid to touch the spider, she began to frantically wave her head around in effort to throw it off. We all jumped to our feet and tried to calm her down.

"Whoa, Luka-chan! Stay still and it won't hurt you!"

I made a grab for Luka, but she quickly veered away, continuing to scream. Meiko tried chase her down, which freaked Luka out even more.

"GET IT OFFFFFF!"

In a flash, Rin stood in front of her. Before the girl could even react, she immediately brought her hand down and grabbed the tarantella off the pink head. We heard a sickening squish as the spider's body was grasped her hand.

My jaw dropped open.

Startled, rabbit girl looked at her closed fist, slowly opening it. There, laying in weird black liquid, was the limp, crushed tarantella.

Rin had killed Alexander.

The door swung open, revealing Ms. Mizuki and the other students who had gone into the other room. "What's going on, I heard someone screa-" The teacher abruptly stopped as she looked at the dead Alexander limp in Rin's hand.

A cold chill filled the room, causing most of the terrified students, including me, to shiver.

And when Ms. Mizuki's rage-filled eyes flashed directly at a confused-looking Rin, I suddenly knew the day wasn't going to end pretty.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

"_I still don't understand why Ms. Mizuki was so mad at me, Gacha."_ I said, frowning as I continued to scrub a classroom floor. Gacha was floating beside me, shaking his entire structure.

"_Well, mistress. If you had crushed a cherished treasure of mine, I would've been just as upset."_

I threw the mop down with an annoyed huff, glaring at Gacha. _"It was an accident! She didn't have to yell!"_

After accidentally squishing the large spider that scared Luka, Ms. Mizuki immediately lowered my grade and punished me to clean all the classrooms on the senior floor after school. I was fortunate Len had to stay behind for detention though, we would walk home together later on.

… But then, Miku would be with him in the meantime.

I sighed, picking the mop back up. I looked down at the puddle reflecting back at me. Looking at the face in the water, I saw a tired, selfish girl with no memories. That tired, selfish girl who clung to others, burdening them. That tired, selfish girl disgusted me.

I scowled. The girl mimicked me.

"_I'm not angry with you, mistress. You don't have to act like that."_ Gacha said, sounding hurt. Something heavy weighed in my chest upon hearing those words. I sighed and cupped the little machine in an open hand.

"_Forgive me, I didn't mean to sound so snappish. Especially not at you."_

Gacha's beady eyes softened at that statement. _"I see now, are you not feeling well today?"_

A silence.

"… _I suppose you if you don't want to talk about it-"_

"_I've been so selfish…"_ I blurted softly, mopping the floor. _"Acting so stubborn and taking advantage of others' kindness…only thinking about myself…"_

"_Miss Rin?"_

I looked up with Gacha with a smile. _"Thank you for always caring about me, Gacha. Even when I take you for granted."_

"_Miss Rin…"_ Gacha's eyes softened even further, drifting over, he bobbed his robotic structure against the top of my head, affectionately. _"You are my mistress, and I am your servant. I'll always be there to serve you."_

A warmth spread throughout my body just hearing those comforting words. I collected Gacha in my hands and smiled.

"_Thank you."_

I lifted the mop and bucket and carried it out the door, ready to head on to the next classroom. Gacha whizzed beside me, humming a mechanical tune.

I suddenly stopped, causing the little robot to stop as well, he turned around with a quizzical expression on his face. _"Miss Rin?"_ Silently, I brought a finger to my lips, wanting him to stay quiet. Looking around, my eyes narrowed.

Just now, I thought I heard something…

In the midst of the silence, I heard soft music echo in the lit halls, bouncing off the walls. Without thinking, I started to run to the source.

"_Wha-! Miss Rin?"_ Gacha's started voice asked.

Running left and right, I frantically searched for the source of the music without even knowing why. I looked behind every door, every window.

"_M-Miss Rin! Where are you running to?"_ Gacha asked behind me, sounding confused.

"_I don't know."_

Wherever that music was coming from, I had to find it. I didn't know why, but I just felt an impulse to. I had become strangely drawn to it without question.

I finally stopped at a tall door with a fancy golden handle. It was at that point I realized how breathless the long run had left me, my cheeks felt flushed and my breaths came in and out quickly. I leaned my ear against the door in effort to listen.

Indeed, the music sounded as if it was coming from inside the room. Curious, I grasped the handle and opened the door, Gacha slipping inside my shirt as I stepped inside.

In the middle of the room, was a boy, playing a large, majestic instrument called the 'piano', I knew what it was called because there was one at the mansion I was staying in, Kaito or Len sometimes played on it. I then recognized who it was playing, my eyes widening.

Sitting on the bench, was the same teal-haired boy who had saved me the other day. And the same new student who greeted me with passing smiles, the one who looked vaguely similar to Miku.

Immediately, without even knowing why, my cheeks began to heat up. My fingers trembled, and the mop and bucket I was holding dropped to the floor. That was when he stopped playing and glanced up, blinking in recognition.

"… Oh."

A brief silence. The boy continued to look at me with that strange look of his. Then, my eyes widened as I recalled something. I immediately bowed, showing my most sincere apologies.

"Ah! Please pardon me!" I bowed several times, my cheeks radiating a bright color. "I hadn't meant to…! I didn't mean to interrupt! I-I should've known better than to open the door without asking, how rude of me! But you see, I-"

Laughter erupted in the room, making me stop and glance up. The boy was smiling and leaning over the piano, he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. Confusion filled up inside me.

Why was he laughing…?

He stopped, flashing me a charming smile. "You needn't apologize, _princess_."

_BA-THUMP…_

Just like what happened earlier, the thing inside me began to pound against my chest, I clutched the front of my school shirt. He continued smiling at me.

"_Can I ask for your name?"_

My eyes widened.

He spoke in German this time, just like when we had first met. I struggled to speak after the pounding sensation.

"_I-It's Rin… Kagamine Rin."_

"_A lovely name, it suits someone pretty like you." _He said, winking. I couldn't understand why I felt so breathless. "May I call you Rin-chan?"

I blinked, startled. _"Y-… Yes, it's alright."_ I stepped closer to him, _"Your name is-"_

"_Mikuo, Hatsune Mikuo."_ The boy finished,_ "But please call me Mikuo-kun, Rin-chan." _I nodded quickly.

"_Of course, Mikuo-kun…!"_ Then I lowered my eyes, smiling shyly. He seemed so kind… just like Len. I wondered why I was feeling so warm around him like whenever I was with Len. _"Your music is beautiful…"_

Mikuo-kun laughed, his eyes twinkling. _"You really think so? It's by Ludwig Van Beethoven, a famous German composer."_ My eyes snapped open.

"_Oh! That's right! You're from Germany, aren't you?"_

Mikuo-kun nodded. _"Yes, I am."_

I bit the lower portion of my lip. _"I was wondering… what's it like?"_

"_Well, I come from Berlin, one of the most refined cities in the country,"_ Mikuo-kun said_, "It's beautiful there, and there are many tall buildings. I find it very peaceful."_

I sighed. _"It sounds wonderful. I wish I could visit there someday."_

A strange smile came over Mikuo-kun's features. _"You've never been to Germany? But you sound more fluent in this language than in Japanese, are you not German?"_

I hesitated. _"Well… yes, I suppose I am, but…"_ If I had gone to Germany once, I couldn't remember. _"If I had, I would've met you a lot earlier!"_

Mikuo-kun chuckled. I smiled in reply, then my face faltered.

"_But somehow,"_ I spoke, looking seriously at Mikuo-kun. _"I'm uncertain, but… I feel like I've already met you before…"_

"_It doesn't feel like I'm meeting you for the first time either."_

I blinked, startled. Mikuo-kun was smiling, but then, his lips curled into a dark, strange-looking smirk. Almost as if it had turned cold.

"… _Maybe we've met before."_

Confused, I tilted my head sideways. "Mikuo-kun?"

The strange look on Mikuo-kun's face immediately vanished, replacing it with the kind smile on his face. "No, don't be mistaken." I furrowed my face even further, before I could question even further, he spoke again. "Would you like to me play again?"

I gasped, nodding eagerly. "Yes! That would be wonderful!"

Smiling, he nodded and his fingers began flying across the piano. Its music filling the room, I immediately walked over and leaned against the piano, closing my eyes and listening.

It sounded cheerful and beautiful, its notes echoing inside my head. Then, I realized something.

This song… it sounded familiar.

A vision of a beautiful woman in a lab coat with golden hair tied up in a bun flashed before my eyes, causing me to tense in surprise.

Then, just as the song started, it ended with a dramatic note. I blinked my eyes open, staring at Mikuo-kun. _"Did you enjoy it?"_

"_Y-Yes. I did."_

"_I composed it myself."_

I stared at him in surprise. _"Did you really?"_

"_Yes, actually. I created it a few months back."_ Mikuo explained. _"There are some minor adjustments, though."_

"_Oh,"_ I said, relaxing and making an effort to smile comfortably, _"what's the title?"_

Mikuo-kun smiled before answering;

"Cantarella."

My eyes shot wide open, I emitted a small gasp. Familiar words began to stitch in the back of my mind, and a sweet, gentle voice began to sing inside me;

"_**Our eyes meeting, with a certain look, within a caged up world…**_

_**Pretending not to know. But even so, my spark of interest might be seen."**_

"Canta… rella?"

The beautiful woman appeared in my mind.

"_**Burning, my heart.**_

_**I won't show it, and grow fear.**_

_**Deep breaths that you can feel, make you have quite a shock…"**_

"Yes, it's a beautiful title, isn't it?" Mikuo-kun asked, smiling with pride. I could only nod dumbly, still dazed.

"It… is."

I found my eyes wandering over at the clock, gasping. I had completely lost track of time, Len must've been waiting for a long time!

I bowed to Mikuo-kun, "I am sorry, but I have someone waiting for me." I gave him another smile, which I was becoming more accustomed to doing. _"It was lovely meeting you, I hope we can talk again sometime."_

Mikuo smiled, nodding. _"As I you."_

I beamed, picking up the mop and bucket as I hurried out the door. "Goodbye, Mikuo-kun!" He nodded, smiling.

"Goodbye, Rin-chan."

I ran out into the hallway, Gacha popping out beside me.

"_That was the guy who saved you yesterday?"_

The familiar heat rose back in my cheeks as I nodded.

"_Yes."_

"_Hm. I don't recognize him."_

As I continued running, the familiar song Mikuo-kun had played earlier repeated in my head. 'Cantarella.' I frowned to myself.

Why were both Mikuo-kun and the song… so familiar?

* * *

**General POV**

A boy with teal hair, appearing to be in his early teenage years, stepped out of the school doors and onto the main sidewalks.

The streets were almost all but empty as vendors began closing their stands for the day and pedestrians scurried to return to the safety of their homes before night fell. By day, the streets of Crypton were vibrant and teeming with life; by night, however, the city took on a completely difference facade. Instead, it became a haven for the depraved. Criminals, peddlers of a different sort, and all sorts of beings who dared not bare their face to the light of day revealed themselves during the night.

He was intending to head home, but not at he moment, for he could sense that he was being followed, and there was no way that he'd let whoever was following him know where he lived. A few carefully calculated turns later and his suspicions were confirmed.

He stopped in the middle of a secluded alley

"There's no use in hiding," Mikuo announced to the darkness, smirking. "I know you're there, sister."

Instantly, a shadow from above leapt down before him, lengthy teal pigtails trailing behind her like ribbons. With all the grace of a cat, she slowly lifted herself and met her brother's amused gaze with a piercing one of her own. Not a trace of good intention was present on her face.

"Well, well," The younger Hatsune smirked. "Isn't this nice? Two siblings reunited after such an extended separation?"

Miku refused to extend the same hospitality. Her viridian eyes narrowed dangerously at him, "Cut the bull crap, Mikuo. Why are you here?"

"I have my reasons."

"I said to cut the bull crap." Miku answered sharply, viridian eyes narrowing. "You're not supposed to be here, let alone exist."

"Tch," Mikuo frowned, "you're so cold, sister… what's gotten you so riled up?"

"You _died_ seven years ago!" Miku retorted, her voice trembling. "I _saw_ it happen with my own eyes! I'm not as crazy as you think! Admit it, Mikuo!"

"… Perhaps I have," Mikuo answered slowly, "but then, we were both children then." Miku grit her teeth.

"I don't know what you're planning, but I'm not letting you go!" Immediately, Miku rushed forward and drew a concealed blade from the hostler on her left leg. Mikuo chuckled.

"So, you're serious about killing me?"

In a blink of an eye, he whapped the knife from her hand, grabbing her wrists in the process. He smirked and drew her close, making them meet face-to-face.

"If you really must have an answer, I don't intend to tell you." Mikuo said casually, brushing off the glare his older sister gave him. "I will let you know however, that I'm not planning to get you involved, 'sister dear…" He paused, his smirk widening. "But there's something I want." He pushed her aside roughly, making her stumble against the wall.

"…"

The boy smirked and began walking in the other direction. "Send my best regards to mother." The girl flinched and scowled.

"Don't think you'll get away so easily next time! You're lucky I have to check up on mother! But mark my words, Mikuo. I'll find out what you're up to!" With that, she bolted the other way, leaving her little brother behind alone.

Smirking, the boy said in a quiet, teasing voice;

"Come capture me."

* * *

A:N: I LOVE Mikuo, I swear I do. I couldn't help but put him in like this, it was just too cute. But it seems I've made him quite the sneak, ne? Making Rin more emotional when he's around…. LOL.

I have officially thrown a fanart contest for "Project: VOCALOID". The finished products will be displayed and voted on a live poll. Two viewers, **orangesky3** and **XxX-Miki-chan-XxX** are the wonderful ladies who've volunteered. But more artists are most certainly welcomed. **;D No one can forget the popularity poll either.**


	13. Cendrillon

**A/N:** GREAT NEWS~!

**Enilec **is now the famed illustrator of the official manga adaptation of 'Project: VOCALOID'! She's an amazing artist, simply amazing. And also a whole lot better than me, I fail at art. The first few pages have already been released! Check out my profile to find the manga link! Note that leaving her comments are absolutely free, you don't have to be a member to leave encouraging notes~! Also, some fan arts for the story have already been uploaded, check them out on my profile!

More characters are taking place~! Heh~ I've even added the well-known horse Josephine from the 'Daughter of Evil', except the horse is truly the demon's spawn in this chapter. **XD**. Oddly enough, I'm considering placing Josephine in more upcoming chapters. I couldn't resist making her 'evil.' ***^_^***

Thanks a bunch, Enilec!

A big thanks to reviewing;

**Miko A. Kimura, Campanella, Shadow Fox777, WST, Zelly-channy, Mainushi-Moi, MaxXFang-TogetherForever, Anonymous, Zelly-channy, Kainushi-Moi, MaxXFang-TogetherForever, kuri L.b, Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan, SeacatTopaz, SuperCrazedKITTY, Enilec, xXMuffinChanXx, iPolaris, Bubblycutie and Awesomenessdude, xXx The Joker of a Writer xXx, fujingodofwind, Chikanpo, Ruuya ruu-chan, ChocoCookiePuff, Tragic Universe, Bluejay92, Chickita , Hikary no Destany, **and** AnimaniacXOX!**

**Warning:** This page contains **mild swearing, crude humor, **and **suggestive themes**.

**Bold: **Stands for singing, specific words… etc.

_Italics: _Stands for Josephine, German, insane yelling, etc.

Note: 'Cendrillon' is French for _Cinderella_. (But I'm putting 'Cendrillon' since it's spelled that way almost everywhere. XD)

Middle school is almost over~! FIVE WEEKS LEFT!

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**General POV**

"Len-kun~! School will be starting in twenty minutes!"

"I'll be right down!"

It was just another typical morning for the family inside the Kagamine mansion. Dell Honne was seated on the table drinking coffee while his son Kaito gobbled up the rest of the bacon. Nami Kagamin packed lunch for the 'twins', humming a cheerful tune as she did. Len was upstairs, changing into his school uniform. In the living room, Rin stared out one of the large windows, oblivious to what was going on in the background.

Lately, she had been having strange visions again. They first started two months ago when she first arrived in the storm, however, they stopped shortly after the incident of impersonating Len in the school. A small sigh escaped the girl.

But not long after meeting the strange transfer student (who appeared to have taken quite an interest in Rin), the strange dreams and visions returned.

"_And they lived happily ever after."_

_A little girl wearing what looked like a hospital gown sat on top of a solid lap which belonged to a woman. The child was strikingly pretty with short honey-colored hair, bright blue eyes, and a big grin was plastered on her face. The woman who carried her appearedthe child. Long, thick gold hair was tied back into a wiry bun and her skin was fair. She wore a white lab coat and was holding a storybook in her arms._

_The two were currently inside a white lab room, which was brightly lit. Toys, books, and stuffed animals were scattered on the floor, and a few plastic stars hung from the ceiling, and in the corner of the room was a small white bed. They were both sitting on a rocking chair._

"_Hooray! I knew Cendrillon would find her prince!" The little girl exclaimed, bringing her plush bunny close to her tiny chest, giggling. The woman chuckled._

"_Did you really?"_

"_Yeeees~!" The girl beamed, bouncing up and down her lap excitedly. "I did! I did!" The woman's smile widened as she began to stroke the top of her head. "But…" She then paused, frowning. "It makes me wonder if I'll ever find my prince… what do you think, mommy?" Again, the woman chuckled._

"_My dearest, aren't you too young to be asking such a thing?"_

_The little girl pouted, indignantly crossing her arms. "Nuh-uh! I'm a big kid now!" She answered proudly, "After all, tomorrow's my birthday! And I'm turning seven!" The woman began stoking the side of the girl's cheek, smiling kindly._

"_Yes… we'll all have to throw a big celebration here. A big party, with cake and balloons… and everyone from the company will be there." The girl innocently tilted her head to the side._

"_Daddy too? Like he promised?"_

_The woman's smile faltered, her eyes darkened. "I… I am not for sure, dearest. He still has more work to do…" _

_The girl pouted in disappointment. "That's not fair! Daddy's always at work so he never has time to play anymore! I don't have anyone else other than mommy to have fun with! And he won't even let me go outside! Everything in mommy's garden must be dead by now!"_

_The woman gave an uneasy smile. "Daddy's been… very busy." She spoke, forcing a chuckle, "But it's because he's been working on a big project. It requires all of his attention, and I'm there to support him." She leaned down and gently took both of her shoulders, making sure they met eye-to-eye. "It's his job and he loves it very much."_

"… _He hasn't told me or mommy that he loved us. Not in a long time."_

_A shadowy look cast upon the woman's face. "Yes. I know." She looked over at the heavily-sealed door, which prevented her child from reaching the outside world. With a distressed sigh, the lady reached over and embraced the girl with both arms. Unbeknownst to the child, tears began to form in her eyes. "But I will always be here. I will never stop loving you. You are the most important thing in the world to me, no matter who or __**what**__ you are." Her entire body was now visibly shaking, silent sobs consumed the poor woman as she recalled what she and her husband had done to their precious daughter._

"_Mommy?"_

_In a choking voice, the woman answered._

"_Mommy will always love you, Rin. Forever and ever."_

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 13**

_**Cendrillon**_

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**Len's POV**

"You're sure you're feeling okay?" I asked Rin when she practically collapsed in her seat.

"I am fine." She responded groggily, nodding once. I took a long look at her. She looked dazed, her skin was paler than usual. Dark circles formed beneath her half-lidded eyes, it looked as if she hardly gotten any sleep over the weekend.

"I know you haven't been yourself lately," I frowned, "it's because of that Mikuo guy, isn't it?" At the mention of Miku's brother, a faint blush lit up her pale complexion. A strange fire radiated inside me seeing that, to which I didn't know why. Rin had been acting strange ever since that guy arrived. And I've been noticing how _close_ he was acting with her lately, acting like the perfect gentleman, making her fluster and such with suave movements and casual charm…

Who did that guy think he was?

"M… Mikuo-kun has nothing to do with this." Rin responded with a calm voice, but the blush on her face intensified. A scowl found its way onto my face, the heat continued to rise inside me. Before I knew what I was doing, I had slammed both palms on either side of her, one on the edge of her seat and the other pressing against her desk. Our bodies were leaning against each other, and our faces dangerously close. But at the moment, I didn't care. No one in the room wasn't paying attention anyway.

"Eh…?" A look of confusion contorted her doll-like face. "… Len?"

"Don't lie to me, Rin." My voice came out colder than I intended to make it sound, I was staring into her icy-blue eyes, almost glaring. "I don't like it when you worry me like this… he's not hurting you or anything like that, is he?"

She stared at me.

"Rin." I nearly growled as I leaned even closer, grasping both her shoulders and making our foreheads touch to make sure we were eye-to-eye. She looked startled, the pink on her cheeks deepening into a crimson color. "When I ask you something, _answer_ me back."

"I-I _am _fine, Len. Really, I am." Rin answered uncomfortably, now trying to squirm out of my grasp. "Mikuo-kun is not harming me in any way." I frowned, bringing us closer.

"You're sure?"

"I am!" Rin exclaimed, finally pushing me away with both hands. She looked at me embarrassedly, her lower lip began to quiver. "Really, now! You are the one who is acting strange!" I blinked, realizing what I had just done. A fierce blush crept onto my face.

"S-Sorry…" I mumbled, rubbing the back of my neck in embarrassment. "I… well, you haven't been talking to anyone lately, not Kaito, Meiko-nee, mom… or even me. I-… **we** were worried about you." I looked at her nervously, seeing her stare at me just made me fumble even more. "We justcare a lot about you, Rin." She blinked, then, her soft lips formed a smile.

"… I understand."

I stood there, staring at Rin's precious smile. Again, I couldn't help but think of how cute she was, even her smile could make me melt. I knew I was probably making myself look like a complete idiot, gaping at her like that, but it's not like I could help it. Rin was just… so adorable. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts at the moment, I hadn't noticed someone had snuck up behind me.

"Rin-chan." A calm, smooth voice sounded right in my ear, causing me to gasp and spin around in surprise. I ended up looking into the face of Miku's little brother.

Rin blinked with a startled expression. "Mikuo-kun…?"

"Good morning." Hatsune cast her a charming smile, one that made my blood boil when her cheeks began to turn pink again. My eyes narrowed and both of my hands clenched into fists.

"G-Good morning." Rin answered, trying to compose herself. "Are you in this class too?" Hatsune's smile widened.

"Alright, everyone! Take your seats now!" The professor announced as he walked through the door. Students bustled around to get to their seats, the sounds of heaving books and footsteps echoed in the classroom.

"Well, until then." Hatsune flashed another smile at Rin before turning around to face me. A strange smirk settled in his features as we looked at each other, for a moment, I felt my insides freeze. I almost glared right back at him. Then, as quickly as the smirk came, it disappeared. In its place was a polite smile. "Excuse me." He said as he brushed past me. I still stood there.

What was that smirk of his supposed to be implying?

I shook off those thoughts as I hurried back to my seat. Looking up ahead, I saw Miku's seat was empty.

"For the next two weeks, there will be a group project for this unit. You all will have selected partners, all assigned from me- that means there will be no switching of partners." Professor Gakupo said, receiving several groans in reply. His eyebrow momentarily twitched in annoyance before he continued, "But seeing as the number of students present today, there will be one group of three. After I announce the names, you are welcome to go off and talk with your partner for the rest of the period." He took out a clipboard from behind his back, reading off. "First off: Piko Utatane!"

The normally soft-spoken scholar from our classroom glanced up from the large encyclopedia he was reading. "Yes?"

"You will be paired with Prima." The black-haired girl Akaito had a crush on, glanced over at Utatane with a mortified gasp.

"Rin Kagamine, your partner will be Miku Hatsune… who is not here at the moment?" The professor took notice Miku's empty seat, he looked at Hatsune questioningly.

"Miku-chan is sick, professor. She has a terrible cough that won't go away." Hatsune explained coolly.

The professor raised an eyebrow in interest. "Is that so? Hm, well, I supposed it can't be helped." He flicked his pencil across the clipboard. "Rin-san, you can work with Utatane and Osaka for today." I frowned to myself, Miku was sick? The news disappointed me. She was someone I liked talking to, considering the fact I still had a crush on her. Rin on the other hand, seemed to sag her shoulders in relief. Then, the professor talked again, causing me to snap out of my thoughts. "Len Kagamine, you will be partnered with… Mikuo Hatsune!"

Shock hit me dead-on. My jaw could've hit the floor at the moment.

WHAT?

I immediately raised my hand, "Professor, can I-"

"As said before, Kagamine-kun. No partner exchanges." I slumped in my seat miserably. How did he know what I was going to ask anyway?

After the professor finished off calling names, I sighed as I stood up from my chair, making my way towards Hatsune. Mustering up all my strength, I made an attempt to smile. "So, you're Mikuo, huh? I'm Len." I offered out my hand. He smiled in return, grasping it into a firm handshake.

"Charmed to meet you, Kagamine-kun. I think I should let you know how often my sister speaks of you." Mikuo said, smiling. I blinked at the sudden statement, feeling my face burst in flames.

"Miku talks about me?"

"Very much, yes." Hatsune chuckled, "It's quite clear how much she admires you. She says she thinks of you as a bright, handsome fellow. She speaks rather highly of you." I laughed, rubbing the back of my neck in embarrassment.

"Huh. Well, tell her I said thanks." I said, grinning. "So I guess we're gonna be partners for a while, huh?"

"It seems so."

I laughed again. Maybe I had misjudged this guy, he seemed pretty decent. At first glance, you never would've guessed he was a foreigner. Unlike Rin, his Japanese was fluent and refined, even better than mine.

"You are Rin-chan's older brother, am I correct?" Hatsune asked. I hesitated. Even though I did thought of Rin as family, or even as my little sister at times, I didn't think I could ever get used to lying like this.

"Yeah, that's right." I replied, "We're twins, just like you and Miku." Hatsune laughed, looking ahead of the classroom. Curious, I followed his gaze, it stopped where Rin's group was, they were discussing the matters. Rin suddenly stood up with her cheeks flushed and arms crossed in frustration, she seemed to be debating with Utatane and Osaka about something.

"Rin-chan is so cute." Those words made me flinch. I turned to face Mikuo, he was staring at Rin with a content smile on his face, then his eyes wandered to me, "Don't you think so too, Kagamine-kun?" My brotherly instincts immediately kicked in as I narrowed my eyes at the younger Hatsune sibling. I've heard a lot of things said about Rin, so it wasn't uncommon. Lots of guys in our grade thought she was pretty cute, which was fine with me. But if they went so far as to get close to her (which was frequent), that was when I'd nearly bust their heads open.

It was as if I was the protective older brother defending his innocent little sister.

"Why does my opinion matter to you?" I countered, my senses heightening when he gave one of those dreamy sighs.

"Well… I just might take her for myself, since I find her rather appealing." Hatsune said, "I just wanted to let you, the older brother, know my intentions." He flashed me one of the most fakest smiles I've ever seen. Both hands at my side began to curl into fists again, my right eye twitched in irritation. "But then…" His eyes suddenly grew cold, his fake smile now looked dark and threatening. "You and Rin-chan don't seem at all like 'siblings'… am I right?" A cold chill rushed through me as I stared at him. It felt as if a fire had crossed in between us.

"You…"

"Now don't assume I'm just an ignorant, pretty-faced fool who 'picks up' any girl as he pleases, I can't say I'm like that. But I'll let you in on a secret, Kagamine Len," Mikuo spoke as he leaned in, a smirk on his face. "Rin-chan and I are much closer than you think, more than someone like you will ever know." He spoke, his eyes darkening with each pronounced word. I took a few steps back, taken aback at his sudden change of character.

I didn't get it, he seemed like a nice guy earlier, now he was acting like a jerk? And who was he to talk about Rin like that?

Fury began to build up inside me, my closed fists began to shake violently. But I allowed him to continue. "People have been watching her closely, Kagamine Len. And it's painfully obvious she's grown very attached to you. But I can't afford to let that interfere with what I'm after." He paused, a dark smile forming. "I'm very interested in Rin-chan, right to the point where I'm interested in her secrets… I might even know who, or rather _what_ she is." My eyes widened.

Did that mean…

VOCALOID…?

"E-Excuse me?" My voice came out hoarse. Suddenly, all noise in the classroom faded into nonexistence. Mikuo studied me for a moment, then his smirk faded.

"We can be friends, or we can enemies, Kagamine-_kun_. I personally don't care, but you're not qualified to be near her. So I suggest you should stay out of the way…" Mikuo paused momentarily, "… or someone might get hurt." My fists twitched violently.

That was when I snapped.

All noise in the classroom suddenly ceased as I slammed my hands onto Hatsune's desk. I glared at him, "Who the _hell_ do you think you are, saying stuff like that? 'Cuz you've sure shown the balls to talk to me about my own personal matters, especially one revolving around Rin! You act as if you know her better than I do!" I shouted, making everyone, including Rin and her group, look over at us. I rarely snapped like this, I was normally a calm guy who could think things through, unlike Kaito, who'd snap real easily. But considering the circumstances, I just wanted to murder this pretty boy.

Rin was like my baby sister! My own little princess! She trusted _me_ first when she arrived! She followed _me_ everywhere! She adored _me_ most!

This jerk who'd met her just yesterday had the nerve to tell me I couldn't be around her? He was acting like her guardian angel or something. But _I_ was the one who knew about her being the VOCALOID, I've been keeping that secret safe for months! A hiss escaped from me as I continued, "You can't tell me whether or not I can be around her, she's my little princess and I'm gonna be the one to protect her, not you, kid. You don't know _anything_ about her like I do." I growled, inching our faces closer. "And God knows if the professor weren't here right now, I would have already smashed in that girly face of yours."

"What in the world is going on here?" Professor Gakupo stood up from his desk to survey the scenes before him.

Mikuo blinked in mild surprise before bursting out in laughter. Rin as well as everyone else in the class was taken aback at this unexpected turn of events.

"H-Hey…" I murmured, feeling embarrassed now about my outburst. I tried to appear serious. "W-What are you laughing at?"

"Interesting display, Kagamine Len. Well done, I'm impressed." Hatsune started to clap for me in mock praise. "But I should let you know that I was only joking throughout the entire talk~. I already know I have no right to take her away from you without the family's consent~." He said, winking at me mischievously. My jaw fell open and my eyes popped out.

He was _lying_ about the entire thing?

I take it back, this guy was no jerk.

He was a downright _bastard_.

"Well, technically I was half-joking. But I'm sure you get the idea." Mikuo said, sighing dramatically. "This might prove more fun than I expected… Be at the school library tomorrow, no later than 6AM; if you're even a minute late, I'll tell Miku-chan about your bravado today, her gallant image of you would be ruined." I blushed at the very thought. "Professor? There is a spot for each of us to grade one another's performances to ensure 'fairness'. Isn't that right?"

The professor blinked. "Well, er… yes."

Mikuo rolled his eyes mockingly and placed both hands behind his head. "Right, so unless you're otherwise occupied with , which I highly doubt you are, I hope I can request that you show up on time, agreed?" He ended the sentence with a sickeningly charming grin.

I twitched.

"Oh, and I'll just point this out. Your face looks much more feminine than mine."

Whether or not he was Miku's brother, this punk was seriously asking for it.

* * *

**Meiko's POV**

Autumn had always been my favorite season, ever since I was a kid. On cool days like these, I used to love running across the neighborhood with Kaito to catch falling maple leaves, Len would try to follow us back then, but he almost always ended up crying and running back to the house after having enough bullying from Kaito. As far as I could remember, autumn days had a gray-filled sky lined with wispy, almost fog-like clouds. The wind would be cold, right to point where it was drop-dead freezing.

But you know what was unusual at the moment?

Today, the weather was simply _perfect_. Clouds lined the horizon, but the sun was out and shining down its rich, colorful rays. Leaves fluttered around in the warm breeze, which carried the fresh smell of grass and cherry blossoms. Though I had to admit, it was a pretty nice change.

Right now, Rin and I were heading down to the stables, where the horses were being kept. Everyone was assigned to ride out on the veranda today.

"You've never been on a horse before, Rin?" I asked Rin amusingly as I fastened the riding helmet on her blonde head.

"No. I don't believe I have." Rin answered. She turned to look at me with her head tilted sideways, a worried look now evident on her innocent face. "Is it difficult?"

I grinned. "Not at all, kiddo. It's actually a lot of fun, I'm sure you'll love it." Before Rin could reply, a loud voice erupted in the area.

"LUUUUUUUUUUUKA! I'M STARVING FOR KAMI'S SAAAAAAAAAAAKE!" We turned to see a desperate-looking Teto latching herself onto her poor cousin's waist, exaggerated tears in her eyes. With everyone staring at the weird scene, Luka-chan looked as if she wanted to die from the embarrassment.

"T-Teto! Stop…! We're in public!" I noticed Teto was clawing at the vanilla-frosted cupcake in Luka's other hand, drool escaped from the red-head's mouth. She suddenly drew their faces closer, igniting a horrified look on the pink-haired girl's face.

"LUKA-PANTS, I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL MAKE LOVE TO YOU RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT! I'LL EVEN THROW IN WEARING A THONG FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS! I'LL RUN AROUND NAKED, I'LL TAKE BACK WHAT I SAID ABOUT HOW PEDO A STUDENT-TEACHER RELATIONSHPI IS! BUT JUST HAND OVER THE DAMN CUPCAKE!" More people crowded around them, one student was holding up a video camera.

"A-ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! TAKE IT! JUST…! STOP EMBARASSING ME LIKE THIS!"

I shook my head at those two, chuckling. Despite acting the way they did, Luka-chan and Teto were best friends.

I've known Teto since she was in diapers, later meeting Luka-chan when she turned two. When the Kasane family first moved into my neighborhood, my parents immediately bonded with them on their baby shower. Eventually, Luka-chan and her family moved in next-door to the Kasanes, those two became fast friends in the aftermath. But a few months later, the Megurine parents were killed in a fire that burned down their house, leaving poor Luka-chan alone as an orphan. Luckily, the Kasanes were generous enough to take her in, which allowed both Teto and Luka-chan to become as close as they are today.

"WOOOOO! I LOVE YOU~! I WOULD TOTALLY HAVE YOUR BABIES RIGHT NOW EXCEPT WE ARE BOTH FEMALES AND TOTALLY STRAIGHT FEMALES AT THAT! BUT IF YOU WERE MALE I WOULD TOTALLY HAVE YOUR BABIES, LUKA-PANTS~!"

"M-Mou! Get off me!" Luka squealed, trying to prevent her cousin from groping her any further. It was until the wild redhead spotted us.

"MEIKO! RIN!" Teto ran towards us, shoving the rest of her treat inside her mouth. She tackled us with a flying hug, nearly causing us both to topple over.

"Whoa! Easy there, tiger!" I laughed, squeezing the girl back. "It's great to see you, too!"

"Ah! Rin-san! Meiko-senpai!" Luka stood above us, a worried look on her face. "D-Do you feel pain anywhere? Was Teto too rough?" I grinned, shaking my head as I got up. I dusted off my riding pants. Beside me, Teto was rolling her eyes as she pulled Rin up.

"First of all, is pain _all_ you think I cause for people? As a certified citizen of Japan, I've had my share of helping elderly people across the street. Secondly, pain is a very small price to pay to express the love I have for awesome people such as Meiko or Rinnie-boo. Unlike you, Luka-pants, who bakes cupcakes _only_ for that damned professor of yours!"

Luka's cheeks flamed.

"Th…! That's not true! I baked those for everyone over the weekend, but _you_ had to go and eat most of them when I went shopping with your mother!"

Teto snorted. "Consider yourself lucky I don't hate you right to the point where I'd stab you repeatedly for being able to fit in that sexy Chinese-style dress I've been wanting to _fill_ since I was thirteen. D-cupped bitch." Luka gaped at Teto in shock, who simply grinned. "But don't worry, you're too awesome to hate in the first place~." Luka sighed and shook her head.

In that small group, we headed inside the one of the stables.

"What are they like?" Rin asked, referring to the assigned horse Teto was boarding.

Teto shrugged, poking at her horse's left ear. "What's to tell? They're big, stupid animals who like to romp on people when you piss 'em off." Rin looked at her confusedly. Luka sighed and opened her mouth to explain.

"Horses are very mature creatures, they will tend to obey their masters when tamed." Luka smiled at Rin. "Most of horses here are very gentle, Rin-san. So you have no need to have concerns when riding." Rin blinked, then a look of slight worry crossed her features.

"But…"

I slung an arm around the little blonde. "No worries, hon. I'll teach you how to ride a horse." Rin glanced over at me.

"Will you?"

I grinned. "Sure~! It's all a matter of controlling the animal, not the animal controlling you." I looked ahead with determination, raising a fist. "All animals must know humans pose as their masters! They must know we are much higher compared to them! They are the filth we step on when we climb the food chain! Compared to us humans, _we_ are the higher species! The horses are the ones to serve us! They _will_ let us ride on them!" I proclaimed aloud, then turning on a blank-faced Rin with a fiery gaze. "We are the powerful humans in this world! We control the animals with reigns so they can obey us! But no animal will ever control us with reigns!"

"OH YEAH! Go, Meiko! Preach it, girl! That's the truth!" Teto cheered, pumping a fist. Luka groaned, slapping a hand against her forehead.

"Get what I'm saying, Rin-chan? You have to show the horse who's boss, that way it'll do whatever the hell you want." I poked at Rin's cheek, grinning.

She nodded once, staring at me. "I understand."

"Then let's find your horse!"

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"Nrrrgh…"

"…"

"NRRRGH…"

"…"

"…"

"… That thing _can't_ be a horse."

"_NRRRRRGH!"_

"KYAAAH!"

We all hid behind Rin, peering at the ferocious white beast with glowering gold eyes. It glared at us with those flashy eyes. Heavy breathing echoed inside the pen, snorts heard in-between.

That creature was Josephine, who was otherwise known as the demon-possessed horse. Like any other horse, she was _breathtaking_. With her magnificent white coat that shone in the sun, big, dark-brown eyes which shone like golden apples, and her thick, silky mane, one could interpret her as the most beautiful creature on the planet.

One could also interpret her as the devil's spawn.

Josephine was the meanest, most _vicious_ horse in the stables. No one dared to ride her, not even the Headmaster himself. She was always the one picked last to ride, no matter how beautiful she was compared to the other horses. She'd torture riders, bucking them off her back and even going so far as to trample on them.

Kaito was one of those unfortunate victims. In freshman year, when he once rode her on one of the easy trails, she sped up ahead of the others against his will and caused him to get knocked off by an oncoming tree branch.

He never rode on her again.

Unfortunately, Rin was assigned to Josephine for the entire hour. And the fact everyone was to ride on the rockier, more advanced trails didn't make the day seem any better.

"Oh my…! How beautiful!" Rin exclaimed in amazement as she rushed forward, much to our alarm.

"Rin!"

"Rin-san!"

"RINNIE-BOO NOOOOOOOO!"

Before we could pull her back, she immediately shot her hands up. "Pretty! You are very pretty!" She exclaimed again, her cheeks rosy. Her mouth formed an open 'o', and her eyes were filled with childish delight. She decided to rub her hands up and down her smooth coat, marveling. Expecting a shrill revolt from the horse, we backed away, waiting for the ugly scene to happen.

"… _Nrrgh~."_

Our jaws dropped.

Josephine… was _nuzzling_ Rin, instead of biting her head off. Her big, white head was pressed against Rin's, gently nipping at her black riding helmet. The mare appeared strangely calm and content, like a nurturing mother. Instead of the blank face Rin normally wore, she was smiling and giggling like a child. She went so far as to embrace the horse's neck with both arms. "Stop…! That tickles!"

I cleared my throat with a nervous grin. "H-Heh. Well, I'll be damned. You've already moved up a rank." I moved forward, cautiously sliding the door open so Rin could step inside with the saddle in her hands. I then hurried back to Teto and Luka before the demon horse could react. "Anyway, first just buckle the saddle around her torso…" After we guided Rin with instructions, she led Josephine out of the stable.

"NNNRRRGH!" The demon horse shrieked when we came within four feet out it. Immediately, all of us except Rin-chan backed off.

Teto leaned forward and whispered in my ear. "Damn, that horse is so annoying." She rolled her eyes.

"I agree." I murmured back. Josephine's ears twitched, it was as if she had heard us. Her mighty head turned and I could've sworn she was glaring at us.

"Be nice now. Be nice." Rin coaxed, patting the side of her neck. With the help of Luka's instructions (who was standing fifteen feet away from Josephine), Rin managed to mount up on Josephine's saddle, gently tugging on the reigns and leading her out on the entrance of the open field. Teto stayed behind with Luka to get her assigned horse.

Turpentine was my horse. A big, brown and white stallion with a quiet nature. I was already riding on top of him next to Rin. We were heading to the trail. I stroked his long mane, which went smoothly through my fingers.

I looked to the side to see how Rin was doing. She was heavily concentrated on adapting to Josephine's movements, almost to the point where she was getting frustrated. She awkwardly bumped up and down on the saddle, her back was straight and stiff, and her fingers were practically squeezing the life out of the reigns. Josephine, however, didn't seem to mind. As if the horse understood, she stopped a few times to let Rin re-adjust her position, something she would _never_ do with other riders.

"You get along with animals really well, huh? I can tell Josephine really likes you." I commented, making her look up at me.

"Ah? Does it look that way…?"

"Yeah." I grinned, "From what I've seen, that demon horse has never acted so sweet. Especially when other students are riding on her." Josephine snorted.

Rin blinked. "… Is that so?" She looked at the Josephine, frowning. "But… she seems so gentle and kind…"

I shrugged, relaxing into Turpentine's saddle. "Things aren't always what they seem at first glance." As if I had offended the white horse, her head swung to me and her eyes began to glow dangerously. I rolled my eyes, knowing as long as Rin was on top of her, she couldn't charge at me or Turpentine. I decided to play it sassy. "You heard me right, damn horse. I'm just telling the truth to Rin-chan how you actually are. So don't act all high-and-mighty with me." The horse continued glaring at me but made no sudden movement to knock me off my horse and trample me.

For a while, it was peaceful. We rode up a few hills and around the rocky terrain. Other riders passed us at a faster pace, but Rin and I just wanted to enjoy the scenery around us. No one spoke for a while, until a Rin broke it with her soft voice.

"I wonder at times, Meiko-nee… who am I?"

I cocked a brow. "What do you mean?"

Rin seemed to hesitate as she looked up and the sky. "I cannot comprehend why… but I have been having very strange dreams."

"Really?" I asked, interested. I veered closer to Rin, looking closely at her. "What are they like?"

"… Scary." Rin answered softly, looking down at the saddle. "Every night I dream of something different… but in a way, they are all too much the same." She spoke, her voice losing its usual sweetness. Her skin began to pale and her eyes began to darken. "Blood, screaming, strange people. I see and hear it all and everything strikes as familiar. It would all seem as if it has happened before… it's though as if it's a part of me." She began to shiver, which was strange because it was warm out. "When I first met Len and everyone else, I have seen some strange things, but soon after, it disappeared. But ever since Mikuo-kun arrived… the strange visions return. I wonder why that is so… perhaps Mikuo-kun really does have something to do with it." She suddenly looked up at the sky with a distant expression on her face, her eyes glazed over. "I cannot seem to recall what has happened to me before I arrived here… I feel as if something is missing…"

"Rin?"

"Also, I wonder who is the woman I keep seeing in my dreams…. she seems so familiar and yet I do not know why. All of this… it's making me so tired." I stared at her, totally confused.

"Uh… well, I-" Rin suddenly turned to me, an eerie look on her face. Her eyes dark and currently void of all emotion. I froze where I was, my blood turning into ice.

"So I wonder, Meiko-nee… who am I?"

Her voice came out cold, almost machine-like. It gave me the creeps, and I barely resisted the urge to grab hold of Turpentine's reigns and steer him back to the stables. But before I could, however, a smooth, velvet-like voice called out.

"Rin-chan!"

Our heads turned to see a teal-haired boy and a chestnut-colored mare, riding towards us. Rin blinked, her eyes returning to its normal, blank state.

"Mikuo-kun?"

"Hello." The Hatsune brother answered with a smile, looking over to me. "Ah. Good afternoon, Meiko-senpai. I hope you're doing well."

"Hey." I replied neutrally, looking at what he was holding. "What's that?"

"Oh, this?" The kid held the wide object up and displaying it in front of us. "Do you like it? I haven't quite finished it yet, though."

It was a painting of a dark scene. In the middle left corner was a glass slipper, lying there on an elegant section of red stairs. A bright, well-detailed chandelier hung up on the ceiling, its glass pieces glimmering like diamonds. At the very back, at the top of the stairs was a girl, her back facing us. She was wearing a flowing pink dress with the skirt dancing around her ankles. Then, I noticed something, she also had teal hair drawn out into two pigtails…

"Is that _Miku_?" I asked, blinking in disbelief. The boy's face broke into a cheeky grin.

"That's correct. Very observant of you, senpai."

"Sure, thanks, whatever. Just tell me, who in right mind would depict that bi-… er, girl as a 'princess?" I demanded. The boy's eyebrows raised in amusement.

"You don't think the role suits my sister? Isn't she very pretty and petite-looking?" He turned to Rin with a grin, "What say you, Rin-chan?"

Rin hesitated before answering. "Miku-san is… beautiful, yes."

I snorted. "Yeah, I've noticed the ones with cheap hair extensions or skimpy getups are the ones guys get the hots for, courtesy of your charming twin brother." I looked over at Hatsune's brother, crossing my arms and giving him a look of disapproval. "As for you, it isn't safe to be holding heavy stuff while you're on horseback. You could injured, y'know."

Mikuo smiled. "Your concern is flattering." I shrugged in reply, moving Turpentine back on the trail. Both kids followed after me.

"Amazing, Mikuo-kun. You are really talented…" I heard Rin say. Hatsune's brother laughed in reply.

"No, that's not true at all. But thank you. In truth, I really haven't painted in a while. I'm starting out little rough on the sides."

"Oh… but, I think your painting is quite breathtaking. Miku…-san looks very well-detailed. Is she supposed to be a princess?"

"Yes. She's playing the role as Cendrillon."

"Cendrillon?"

"Yes. It's a story. A girl is called 'Cendrillon' by her stepsisters, she is treated poorly in the household because of her beauty. But she is eventually granted to go to a ball, credited to her fairy godmother, who gifts her with a beautiful dress of jewels, a horse-drawn carriage, and tiny glass slippers especially crafted for her." I slowed Turpentine's pace, interested in the tale. "That was when she met the Prince, and they both fell in love at first sight. However, when the clock struck twelve, Cendrillon was told to leave immediately, because the magic spell would end at the final ringing of the bell."

"Oh…"

"The Prince hadn't even gotten the chance to know the maiden's name, so he tried chasing after her. He couldn't catch her. However, while Cendrillon was running, she left behind one of her glass slippers, as shown in my painting." Hatsune paused before continuing. "The Prince swore to find her no matter what. After that night, he searched far and wide for Cendrillon, trying the slipper on every maiden he could find. Alas, the shoe was far too small to fit one any of the ladies."

"… Please continue."

"He finally came to the house of Cendrillon, where he met both her stepsisters. Both stepsisters tried fitting into the glass slipper, but like many ladies, their feet were simply too big. So, he turned to Cendrillon…" At this point, I came to a complete halt, whipping myself around. "And her foot fit the slipper perfectly. She then revealed to her surprised sisters the other glass slipper she carried. So, the happy Prince reunited with his lover and they were wedded, Cendrillon becoming a princess in the process… and-"

"They lived happily ever after." I finished, staring directly at the runt. He turned to me, smiling.

"Yes. That's right."

"Happily ever after…?" We both turned to a dazed Rin, who was looking up at the sky. "I see… it is just as I imagined…"

"Riiiiiiiin-chaaaaaaaaaan!" A high-pitched voice squealed in the distance. For a second, I mistook the voice as Miku's, but then I noticed it sounded a _lot_ more annoying than hers. Turning over, I spotted a freshman girl with long golden hair pulled into a side ponytail race over on horseback. Two other girls appeared next to her, on horseback as well. Rin blinked.

"A-… Akita-san. Sonika-san. Gumi-san."

The girl called 'Akita' flashed a bright, fake smile. "God, Rin-chan. I've been looking _everywhere_ for Len-kun, I don't suppose you know where he is-" Then, she took notice of the Hatsune kid. "…Oh."

The Hatsune kid smiled. "Good afternoon."

Akita stared at him, looking completely surprised. Then, she pointed at him. "Who's this cute guy?" Behind her, 'Sonika' and 'Gumi' goggled at him with love-struck eyes.

"Hatsune Mikuo." Hatsune kid replied, bowing. "It's a pleasure to meet you… Akita-san?"

"That's _riiiiiiiiight._" Akita answered giddily. She rocked back and forth on her horse, flipping her long hair out from under her helmet. Then she fluttered her eyelashes at him, purring. "But you can just call me Neru."

"Neru-san." Hatsune kid said, turning to the other girls. "Do I get to call you ladies by your first names as well?" They blushed, nodding quickly in reply.

It was until Akita turned her attention on Rin, gasping in exaggerated shock. "Oh, Rin-chan! don't tell me you got assigned to _that_ horse, did you?"

Rin looked confusedly at her. "Ah… yes?"

"OH!" Akita exclaimed in horror. She drove her horse closer to Mikuo, he didn't seem to care. "How awful! I feel so sorry for you!" She sighed, controlling her mare next to Rin's. She gave Rin a comforting pat on the back. "But you're the one on that evil thing, not me. So I have nothing to worry about." She said, checking out her nails.

I felt my right eye twitch in disgust. Rude much?

Rin stared at Akita, frowning. "I do not understand why everyone persists on speaking so low of miss Josephine… she really is kind." She bent over and stroked the side of Josephine's neck, "Are you not, miss Josephine?" The white horse gave a gentle snort, affectionately nudging Rin's hand against her big head. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the corners of Mikuo's lips turn up into a gentle smile. This didn't go unnoticed by Akita, who pouted in frustration.

"H-Hmph…! Well, I…! I could ride on that demon horse too! Move it, Rin-chan. We're switching horses." Without wasting another second, Akita leaped off her horse and practically pushed Rin while she was trying to get off, Akita leaped on the saddle afterwards. Josephine didn't seem to like this, she began snorting and moving around in discomfort. "HA HA~! Stupid horse, you're gonna have to answer to me now!"

I sighed, shaking my head. "Oi, freshman. I don't think you should be riding on that horse." I stated, bucking Turpentine up. "From what I've seen, Josephine only lets Rin ride on her back without acting possessed."

Akita looked over at me and stuck her tongue out. "Stay out of this, 'senpai'. I know what I'm doing." Her eyes suddenly flickered up and down at me, and she suddenly smirked. "Those boobs are so not real. Implants are gross." My jaw dropped open at what she just said.

"_WHAT?"_

In all my life, I've never seen a girl so proud of her own bitchness. Akita-bitch smirked right back at me. "You heard me."

.

.

.

.

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.

.

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.

.

.

.

.

.

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.

"… Oh… You. Just sooo did **N****OT!**"

Rage overtook me. And that was when I whipped out the crop in my saddle's side and violently swung at Akita-bitch, she dodged however, instead, I ended up striking Josephine's rear end.

_CRACK!_

I couldn't say it then, but I could definitely think of the words now.

Holy_._

Fucking_._

_Shit_.

"_NRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!"_

* * *

**Kaito's POV**

"Man, the weather is so nice out today!" A student next to me commented, stretching his arms out to the sky. I was one of the advanced riding trails, where I took my horse to. Vanilla was my horse, and the name suited her fine. We liked each other and preferred no one else.

"I'm glad we got to ride today, most of the horses here are really cool." Akaito commented beside me with a grin.

"Cool…" Ted mumbled in agreement. I looked over at Len, who was staring ahead with a sour look on his shota face. He'd been quiet since the hour had begun, which was weird, since he normally liked talking when he was around us.

"Hey." I said to Shota. He kept staring off into the distance. "HEY. You. With the face." He still didn't hear me, and he kept looking forward. "Shota." I finally said. Immediately, his head turned to me.

"What?"

I nearly grinned to myself, if not for the pissed look on my little brother's face. "What's up with you? You've been spacey ever since we came here, plus that big scowl doesn't make you look any more attractive." He stared at me, then shook his head bitterly.

"Like you care." With that, Shota drove his horse on ahead. Ted and Akaito watched him with bewilderment.

"What's up with him?"

I stared after him, scratching my chin. "Hm… maybe it's 'that' time of month for him." The energetic redhead looked over me.

"What do you mean by 'that' time of month?"

"I'd love to explain, but Shota would probably kill me if I did." I answered with a shudder. Akaito opened his mouth to reply but was suddenly cut off with a bloodcurdling scream;

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Everyone, including shota, froze in their places. We looked around everywhere to see where the scream had erupted from.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP! GUMI! SONIKA! SAVE MEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"NRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!"

Out of nowhere, a yellow and white blur rushed past us and move up ahead.

"Neru-sama!"

Three more blurs rushed past us, they all appeared to be students, riding on horseback. Then, I immediately recognized Meiko and Rin driving up and sharing the same horse. Rin was at the front, holding onto the brown horse's neck while Meiko was controlling the reigns behind her.

"Meiko! What are you doing? What the hell is going on?" I yelled as they rushed past. Meiko looked back at me, looking pissed.

"I happen to be saving a freshman's sorry ass!"

The rest of us stared after them, totally shocked. Then, regaining my senses, I immediately called to Ted, Akaito, and Len. "C'mon! We gotta help out!" They looked confusedly at me.

"Wait, what-"

I was already kicking at Vanilla's side. "HIYA!" And we took off after the girls. As we sprinted ahead, I could finally see what was going on. About twenty yards ahead or so, I could see a freshman with crazy yellow hair, dangling off the side of a horse. I recognized her as one of Shota's crazy followers. She was trying to get back on, but it looked like she wasn't having any success.

Then I recognized the pure-white coat of the horse the freshman was riding on. I nearly stopped from shock. Memories of pain, a wild white horse, and freshman year hit me dead-on.

It was Josephine.

"KYAAAAAAAAH! MIKUO-KUN! MIKUO-KUUUUN!" I saw a teal-haired student who caught up with Josephine, now he was trying to reach out to the freshman girl with a single hand.

"Kaito-senpai, what's going on up there?" I turned around to see who said my name. Akaito, Ted, and Shota were sprinting right behind me on their horses.

"One of Shota's fangirls got caught up in riding on the demon horse!"

"I am **not **a damn shota!"

"Hey! What's that guy doing over there?" Akaito exclaimed in shock, pointing ahead. I whipped my head around, my jaw dropping in the process.

Holy…

The teal-haired guy was now standing on top of his saddle, while his horse was still running. He was carefully balancing his feet out.

"HATSUNE, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Len practically screamed out from behind us. He drove his horse full-speed ahead of us. We gaped at the Hatsune kid, looking back at us, he gave us a cheerful smile.

"Don't worry! It's fine!" Then, Hatsune looked over at Rin while smiling. "_Alles wird auf jeden Fall, auf jeden Fall gut!_ Right, Rin-chan?" Rin's eyes flew open, an 'o' formed her open mouth.

"Mikuo-kun…"

I cocked a brow.

What did he just say now?

"You always loved saying that," That Hatsune kid said with a smile, then, he turned over to the dangling freshman. In a flash, he leaped on top of Josephine, crouching low. The horse gave a cry in alarm, swinging her head wildly and tossing her wide back forward and back in effort to knock him off. However, Hatsune somehow managed to stay on, with grace like a cat. A sensual look appeared on his face as he took hold of the dangling reigns in his smooth, yet elegant fingers-

Oh god, I'm sounding like a girl.

But anyway, with inhuman speed, he stood up and yanked the reigns back which caused a startled Josephine to come to a complete halt. The freshman safely crashed to the ground, cheeks flushed and her breathing turning into dramatic gasps.

"Neru-saaamaaa!" Two green-haired girls dismounted their horses and ran over to the girl, sharing worried looks. Meiko was helping Rin off the saddle, practically having to carry her complete body off and onto the ground. Without hesitation, the rest of us got off our horses as well. A few students came riding over on their horses, curious to see what the commotion was about.

"Are you hurt anywhere, Neru-san?" Hatsune kid asked the freshman girl, putting aside the object in his hand. She looked up at him in awe, hearts practically floating around.

"I-I'm fine, in fact I feel great… Mikuo-kun! But only if it weren't for you…" She looked down, blushing. "Th-Thank you for saving me."

"It's no trouble at all. I'm just glad you're alright." Rin and Meiko stepped up, both looking amazed.

"Amazing! That was amazing, Mikuo-kun!" Rin exclaimed in awe, bringing both hands together as she stared up at him. "You really are wonderful at everything!" Shota stepped next to her, a funny look on his face. The Hatsune kid looked over at rabbit girl and gave her a mysterious smile.

"Only you would know that, Rin-chan…"

"Eh…?"

"No. She wouldn't." Len hastily stepped in front of bunny-chan, placing a protective arm in front of her. He shot Hatsune kid a narrowed glare. "So don't say stuff like that." His voice came out cold, almost venom-like.

Hatsune kid's eyebrows rose in amusement. "My, my. There's no need to act like that. Rin-chan and I are simply friends. Isn't that right, Rin-chan?" Rabbit girl blinked.

"Of... course."

Hatsune kid smiled winningly. "Well now, I think it's agreed Rin-chan and I can be around each whenever we'd like," A dark smirk suddenly overtook that smile, "Now that I think about it, this scenario isn't much different with you and Miku-chan now, is it?" Len's face hardened into a look of contempt, his fists curled up next to him, but he said nothing.

Well, this was an interesting scene. I thought to myself with a chuckle. Shota-kun was losing his precious pet to another guy.

The kid rolled his eyes mockingly with a chuckle. "I'll take that as a 'yes." Rin's confused gaze flickered back and forth between the two.

"Mikuo-kun…? Len…?"

Hatsune kid looked over at Rin, his dark smirk long gone. "I do believe we'll get along just swimmingly, Rin-chan." He glanced over at Shota with a smirk, "Just swimmingly." Shota glared back at him, fists trembling violently. Rin was still staring at Mikuo, completely oblivious to what the entire situation meant.

"…"

Well, things were about to be taken for a spin. An epic fight to the death for the sweet, innocent rabbit girl. I could see it all, in big headlines.

Shota V.S. Suitor/Boyfriend.

Whoop-de-fucking-doo.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

"_**As with any normal feeling of love, right now, I'll make sure you'll fall for it.**_

_**Even with a few shallow holes, I won't leave behind any trace…"**_

School was over. As a result, I decided to tend to the gardens at Len's giant house, to which he decided to follow me to.

Their estate was split into three parts: the main building, the gym area, and the open land. Their vast, modernized building was in terms of architectural design and décor, with many rooms than was necessary for small family. It had all of the technology: computers and media, but Nami discouraged use of luxurious use of chore-operating machinery because she wanted to keep everyone at work. The recreational area was equipped with a formidable sized pool, half indoor and half outdoor, with waterfall, and a spa area, complete with pool house for lounging. There was also a basketball and tennis court, which Kaito, Len, and the rest of their friends used. But the open land, in my opinion, was the best. Stretches of rich, fertile hills, with trees across the landscape here and there. The land was thriving with wild flowers, giving the impression of a rainbow pathway.

It was my favorite place.

Len sat there, under one of the browning trees, watching me tend to the gardens. We were at on one of the hills beside the mansion. Len, Kaito, Nami, and Mr. Dell lived on what was a rather isolated estate on the outskirts of town. Civilians were a few miles away, and the town was a good few hours away worth of walking. But being alone was fun as well, as anyone could run around freely across acres of land.

That image… of that woman crept into my mind again, causing a slight pain in my head. I frowned to myself. I had been dreaming of her for quite some time…

I sat next to Len, who appeared sour. I spilled the red flowers I had been carrying in my skirt, onto the ground. I began picking them up one at a time and arranging them in an intricate pattern.

"Len?" I suddenly asked. He glanced over at me.

"Rin?"

"Do you have a mother?"

Len rose an eyebrow. "Well, _yeah_. Otherwise I wouldn't be here."

I looked at my flowers, thinking about the mysterious woman. "Everyone… has a mother, just like Len has Nami. Your mother stays with you wherever you go, is that not correct?"

"Yeah, that's right," He looked at me strangely. "What are you trying to get at?" I finally glanced over at Len, feeling very tired.

"Where is my mother?"

He stared at me, eyes wide.

"Rin…"

A deep silence engulfed us, except for the wind that racked the trees. We sat there, staring at each other. Then, I sighed and returned to my flowers. "… Never mind. Please forget what I asked."

Another silence.

But this time, Len was the one to break it.

"You sure like it here, don't you?" He asked, looking awkwardly at the ground. I looked up at him, seeing his sour expression soften slightly.

"Yes."

He chuckled, reaching over and patting my head. "That's good to know." Once again, another silence ensued us both. And I continued working on the pile of flowers.

"Finished." I showed Len what I had; a crown woven from the bright red flowers I had been picking. He blinked, impressed.

"Wow. You're good, Rin."

"Here." I moved closer to Len and gently placed it on top of his head. A petal fell from one of the flowers and landed on his nose. I smiled, tilting my head. "You look so pretty, Len. You could be a princess." A shade of red colored his cheeks as he looked down.

"Th-Thanks... I think."

I suddenly gasped, clapping both hands together. "Ah! You could even be _Cendrillon_ from Mikuo-kun's painting!" His face fell into a slight scowl when I mentioned Mikuo-kun.

"Oh. Thanks." He mumbled, sitting back against the bark. I tilted my head sideways, confused at his sudden actions. He spoke up again, looking to the side. "Tell me, Rin… do you like that Hatsune Mikuo?"

"Of course I do."

His eyes snapped over at me and his jaw dropped open, a look of horror crossing his handsome features. "… wha..."

I smiled at Len. "I like Mikuo-kun a lot. He is very gentle and kind… and very talented." I suddenly opened my eyes, realizing something. "Oh. He is very handsome too…" Looking at Len, a color of blue engulfed his entire face. He suddenly looked down, hair falling into his face and shadowing his eyes.

"I see."

"But I like you too."

He looked up at me in surprise. "… What did you say?" I tilted my head sideways.

"I like you."

"….!" A deep red flooded his entire cheeks, he stood up and backed up against the tree. His eyes were wide open. "Wh-Wha…? Rin?"

I looked up at the sky, contemplating. "I think I understand. To 'like' is to feel warm and 'happy' around that person… like Meiko-nee and Luka said." I glanced over at Len, smiling. "In that case, I like Len… but not only him. I also like Mikuo-kun, Kaito, Nami, Mr. Dell, Gacha and Meiko-nee! Oh! And also Luka and Teto! Being around all of them makes me very happy!" Len stared at me.

"Ri-" I smiled, feeling a lot better than I did this afternoon. I rose to my feet and collected Len's hands in mine.

"But… I feel happiest when Len and I are together. We always have lots of fun." I stated, watching in interest when his cheeks reddened even further.

"R-Rin?"

"It'll be like that forever… right? We will always have lots of fun no matter what. Smiling, laughing, meeting lots of people, right?"

"Rin…"

Then, a thought struck me. I frowned and brought together our hands even closer, making sure we close enough.

"We will always be together forever… promise?" Len looked at me for a moment. Then, a soft smile spread across his lips.

"Yeah."

I frowned even further.

"Promise me."

His eyes softened even further, the red on his cheeks easing.

"I promise!"

I smiled. "Good. I like you the most anyway."

His eyes shot open again, he looked away and coughed in embarrassment. "Well… I-I like you a lot too, Rin." A warmth bubbled inside upon hearing those words. Looking over, I could see the sun beginning to set.

"Oh! Nami said she wanted us in before the dark came!" I exclaimed, pulling both of his hands forward. "We must go then!"

"Ha-! W-Wait up, Riiiin!"

As I ran, another image of the mysterious woman struck me, making me gasp. A gentle voice began to echo inside my head.

"_You will always be my little princess."_

I stumbled, quickening my pace. But as I ran even faster, I felt one of my sandals fly off when Len and I ran inside.

A shoe was left behind.

* * *

**General POV**

A boy, appearing fifteen or so, stood outside the Kagamine mansion. He was about to walk past when he remembered the fact his little princess was being held there…

"_Hey, your name's Mikuo, isn't it?"_

Mikuo blinked, recalling a past event.

"…"

"_That's a cool name! I really like it! You can just call me Rin though, okay?"_

Yes… there once was a time when she was like that… childish, yet so sweet. He pulled an object out from his left pocket, examining it carefully.

"_Daddy said we're gonna be friends! Isn't that wonderful? I've always wanted someone to play with, other than mommy!"_

It was a gold locket, with a picture of a _her_. He recalled the beautiful, golden-haired woman he once knew. Gentle and kind, yet so weak-willed. In a soft voice he said; "Miriam and I may be causing trouble for you now, little princess. But, it's like you always used to say…"

"_Everything will definitely, definitely be alright!"_

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a red-haired girl sprinted along the trees. He turned around.

The girl was a red beauty, looking like she was in her late teens. A long rifle was carried at her hand. She wore a full, black leather outfit, but it revealed both her shoulders. Her left shoulder was bare, but on the right one was a purple butterfly.

Interesting…

She smirked. "_The project is practically in my hands now, I could kill her off right now if I wanted to. And you're not going to stop me?" _The boy stared at her, then flashed her a full white grin.

"_Not at all. She's all yours."_

Yes… this was going to be interesting indeed.

* * *

**A/N:** **RUN RIN RUN! RUN BEFORE THE B*TCH GETS YOOOOU! O_O **(Gasps) **THE EPICNESS HAS BEGUN!**

I **suck.** I'm so slow at updates nowadays… but I can't help being so picky about every little thing. Writing takes lots of time and effort, which I rarely have when you have a paranoid mother at home who thinks you're on drugs because you spend weekends mainly trying to get chapters like these on air. Yeah, life hates me. Or karma does, I have no frickin' idea. **T-T **

OH GOD I MADE RIN MORE EMOTIONAL! NUUUUU SHE WAS SO CUTE WHEN SHE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING! (dies)

Ooooh, fan arts for 'Project: VOCALOID' are officially up! But I gotta thank **MaxXFang-TogetherForever~!** She's an amazing artist who devoted her time making most of the arts~! But, she's REALLY GOOD as well! My personal favorite is the one she draws of Rin-chan as the VOCALOID~! CHECK 'EM ALL OUT AT MY PROFILE~! (**Note: **Arts are still being accepted though~! XD)

YOU WILL REVIEW… right?

Oh, and if you're wondering what Mikuo said in the last scene, he was saying 'Everything will definitely, definitely be alright!' in German. **XD**

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	14. Beautiful Dreamer

**A/N:** My passion has been renewed! I now feel the urge to write more chapters! **XD** I no longer feel sad! It's all thanks to you, everyone! Your sincere pleas have touched my heart, and I've decided this story WON'T be on hiatus no matter what happens! Though I've suffered a setback from being abandoned my own own partner… THE SHOW MUST GO ON~!

However, I do have a request;

Please, dear reviewers, make your notes more 'meaningful'. I don't appreciate those with cliché, hyperactive feedback like; OMGOMGOMG UPDATE SOON OR I'LL KILL MYSELFHAHAHAHAHA! Sorry, I'm really not looking for that and it doesn't bring much inspiration if I get too much of those. A better example would be what the favorite parts were, or what could use improvement. Tell me what you REALLY think. Even criticism is accepted, so long as it's efficient. Also, I know there are still some of you hiding out there… who don't review. **D:** Seriously, just show yourselves, I don't bite.

Secondly, since this story is getting so popular… I'd like to look for someone who could make a _'__Project: VOCALOID__' _MMD digital trailer on Youtube. For those of you who don't know what MMD is, it's called MikuMikuDance, a digital software providing full usage of the Vocaloids. If any of you people have Youtube accounts and are interesting in providing tribute for this story with live footage, please be sure to PM me~. And I'll make sure to hold you accountable for lots of credit. **;D (I'll post the links on my profile and take ANY requests for fan stories~! Yaoi/yuri, {tw}incest, one~shots… anything you want!)**

Finally, and one more note! I'd like to give a shout-out to **Miss Lane** from Massachusetts! **XD XD XD** Your student, Theresa has told me about you, about your liking to "Project: VOCALOID." Thank you very much for being a fan! An adult one at that! I hope the school year ends well for you!

**Warning:** This page contains **language, crude humor, **and **suggestive themes.**

**Bold: **Stands for singing, specific meanings, internet reading, t.v. reference… etc.

_Italics: _Stands for German, specific words, insane yelling, etc.

I owe you all for this… the moment you've all been waiting for~ (well, sort of)~! The madness!

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**General POV**

Hunched over the desk, was Professor Kamui Gakupo.

He had arrived fifteen minutes ago, at 4PM. Now he was grading papers while drinking black coffee. He sighed, rubbing at his eyes in exhaustion. He leaning back into his chair and looked out the window, where rain clouds began to form in the humid, gray sky.

Five years back, he would've never considered becoming a high school teacher. The last time he tried teaching was an embarrassing experience. He had once been a substitute for a kindergarten class, but was later labeled a pedophile. The children were taken home and the school had been sued, thus he was fired.

So how had the present come to this?

A knock was heard at the door, making the young man look up.

"Excuse me, professor?" Standing in the doorway, was a student with long, salmon-pink hair which fell at her shoulders in bouncy curls. In her hands was a neatly wrapped plate piled with homemade goodies. Gakupo fixed his glasses, raising a curious brow.

"Megurine-chan? Why are you here at this hour?"

The girl blushed, looking down at her feet. "I-I, well…" She fumbled for the right words, her cheeks growing pinker with each pronounced word. "I just wanted to g-give you these…" Her feet padded lightly across the floor. She offered the plate out to him with both hands and looked at him shyly. "… I-I'm not interrupting something, am I?"

The professor held back a growing grin, Megurine had always been such an interesting girl. She was a polite, bright, and well-behaved student. And he had to admit that for a fifteen-year-old girl, he found her quite attractive. Their first meeting was an aburpt one. He couldn't keep his eyes off her when she fumbled into his classroom, blushing and apologizing for being late.

This was odd, he thought, he had never taken the time to look at girls during high school since he had always put education first.

"Not at all." Gakupo answered with a smile, "In fact, I'm quite happy to see you." He took the plate from her, which made their fingers accidentally brush. The blushing girl smiled as well. He breathed in the aroma of the food, nodding approvingly. "This smells heavenly… just like the others. You're a talented cook." Luka giggled and thanked him. She didn't appear to notice the sudden mischievous smirk that appeared on his face. "… I can see you becoming a housewife, a very good one at that."

"Oh well, that's-" Luka blinked. Then, crimson flooded her cheeks. "… AH!" She looked at Gakupo with her eyes wide, shocked and speechless. "P-…! Professor!" This time, he couldn't help it. The young teacher leaned over and began to laugh.

"Ahahahahaha!"

"P-P-Professor! Don't laugh! That wasn't even funny…!"

After a few minutes, Gakupo looked up to see his indignant student looking at him, frowning and with her arms crossed. Her oval-shaped face puffed from embarrassment. With another chuckle, he sat up and dusted off his clothes. "I apologize, Megurine. I didn't mean to upset you. I just find you… _interesting_ when flustered."

Luka bit her lip, blushing. She studied the professor for a moment, he was quite strange at times… mysterious even. His behavior would seem to shift and slide whenever they'd talk. But she didn't mind it actually, in fact, she found it rather charming. That was one of things she loved about him, after all.

"Apology accepted." She finally answered with an exaggerated sigh. Then her eyes wandered over to a turned picture on his desk.

A lone, beautiful woman was seated on a scarlet chair. She was frail and youthful. Long, golden hair grew past her shoulders and stopped at the midriff. Her eyes were a striking green, glistening like a pair of emeralds. Her skin was pure, almost white. And a delicate smile placed on her precious pink lips.

The woman… was _beautiful_. Luka gazed at the picture in awe, letting herself admire the serene beauty. Gakupo, noticing her eyes had wandered, followed her lingering gaze. His eyes momentarily widened when he saw her looking at his most prized possession, then, gradually softened.

"She's quite a sight, isn't she?" Luka blinked at her professor's sudden statement, looking over to him. He picked up the picture, gazing at the still woman with a sweet, gentle expression on his face. Mortification built up inside her as she watched him gaze longingly into the picture.

Could it be…?

"Professor." She was surprised at how calm her voice sounded. "That woman in the picture, is she your… beloved?"

The professor glanced up, staring at her with a blank look on his face. Then, he chuckled. "No, no. It wasn't like that between us. Aside from that, she's married… and with a child." Luka breathed a sigh of relief, which (thankfully) went unnoticed by the man. "However, I do remember her as one of my most cherished friends. Beautiful, intelligent, and very kind-hearted. We once worked together in Germany. I enjoyed the time getting to know her." He set the picture down with a sigh, "But then… something happened." His tone suddenly dark, "And we just lost contact with each other. I haven't heard from her since." He finished the sentence quickly, looking away. Luka stared at him, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her…

But had his face suddenly grown _angry_?

"I-I see… she must've been a such a wonderful person." Luka said in attempt to calm the situation. Gakupo looked over at her, the anger dissolving from his face.

"Yes. She was." His voice came out soft, now gentle-like. He looked back at the picture and picked it up, handing it over to Luka. She really was quite pretty, Luka thought to herself with a smile.

"Miriam."

Luka blinked, looking up. "Oh?" The professor glanced to the side with a distant look on his face. A ghastly smile etched onto his lips.

"Miriam." He echoed, "That was her name."

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 14**

_**Beautiful Dreamer**_

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**Rin's POV**

_Falling…_

_I could feel it, everywhere. The wind brushed up against my body, rushing past me. My eyes were closed, but my arms were spread out as if I were flying._

_But I was falling._

"_**La~ la la la la~**__."_

"…"

_Who was that… singing?_

_A giggle._

_I opened my eyes to see a ghastly figure of a girl hovering right above me. Her face was shadowed, making her unrecognizable, but I could see that her hair was short and yellow, like mine. And she was wearing a pure-white dress. An haunting grin was plastered on her face._

"_Hi, you."_

_I gasped at the sound of her eerie, childish voice. Chills ran up and down my spine. My hands now felt clammy, losing all feeling. The air around me seemed to crush against me, making difficult to breathe._

"_You know, it isn't very nice to keep other people waiting…" The girl spoke, giggling. "After all, I've been waiting for you…. for a very long time." Her grin widened as she drifted even closer to me to the point where I could feel her icy breathe. "But I'm just so glad you came back! Now we can play together forever, just like I imagined! Doesn't that make you happy too?"_

"_Who… are you?" I asked, though my throat felt parched. At those words, the girl seemed to flinch. The grin on her lips suddenly faded._

"… _Who am 'I'? Is that what you're asking?" The girl shook her head. "That's not good. You asked the wrong question. You've caused both of us to lose." That was when her hands immediately shot forward, wrapping around my neck._

_I gasped when her tiny hands began to close around my throat. My hands lay frozen on either side of me, unmoving. __With a giggle, her tiny body hovered even closer, making us touch. "You were asking me who 'I' was, while the real question should've been about 'you'… or rather, '__**us**__." Her tight continued to close around my neck, and it felt as if my lungs were on fire. I struggled to move, breathe, or even thrash my legs out. But I couldn't._

_I was paralyzed._

_Pain filled my head, it spread like a wildfire throughout my entire body. I couldn't move, speak, or even breathe. A throbbing impulse began to beat inside my head, making it even more excruciating with each passing second._

"_You're very bad, Rin. Now everyone's mad at us, everyone hates us, no one loves us… at least, not anymore. And it's all your fault." The girl's voice sounded angrier, her grip continued to tighten. "IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR UNFORIGABLE SIN! YOU DID SOMETHING AWFUL! SOMETHING TERRIBLE! YOU'RE A BAD GIRL! AND FOR THAT, NO ONE WILL EVER FORGIVE YOU!" _My eyes shot open in pure terror at her screaming words._ "NOT EVEN ME, DADDY OR MOMMY!"_

_Images of blood, screaming, and unfamiliar people flashed before my eyes, blinding me. One clear vision struck me where I could see a dead woman sprawled out on the floor. Then, hands started coming into view, shaking like mad and freshly blood-covered._

… _AH…!_

_No… NO!_

_T-Those were my hands!_

"_Remember, no one will forgive you for what you did. Not even you, Rin." The girl's grin had returned. By now, her hands were squeezing the rest of my consciousness from me. Pain was beginning to fade, replacing it with a cold numbness. "You'll find out soon enough, and when you do… it'll cost you everything." Suddenly, the girl disappeared, and in her place… was a beautiful, golden-haired woman._

_The Angel?_

_My eyes began to close. In my last moments, however, the Angel smiled and leaned in and whispered in my ear;_

"_**I will never forgive you."**_

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"_-in…!"_

No…

"_-in! Mistress Rin…!"_

No…!

"_Riiiiiiiiiiin! Wake up, mistress Riiiin!"_

"_AH! __**NO**__!"_ My eyes snapped open and I desperately launched myself forward with both arms out. I blinked upon coming close to a pair of beady eyes.

"_Wha…? Are you crying, madam?"_ A gasp escaped from me as I felt tears slide down both sides of my face. I bean subconsciously wiping them away.

"_No. I'm not, no. It was just a dream."_ I answered quickly, shaking my head despite my heavy breathing. _"None of it was real. I must remember that… it was just a dream and nothing more. So… I wasn't crying."_ Gacha's beady eyes studied me critically, he looked as if he didn't believe me.

_"You're still crying."_

"_I am no-!"_ I began to protest, only to find more warm, wet tears running spilling down my cheeks and onto the orange and yellow blankets. I shivered, hearing the girl's cruel words in my head.

"_IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR UNFORIGABLE SIN! YOU DID SOMETHING AWFUL, SOMETHING TERRIBLE! YOU'RE A BAD GIRL! AND FOR THAT, NO ONE WILL EVER FORGIVE YOU!"_

A picture of the crying angel came to mind, making me gasp and clutch at my throbbing chest.

What was this pain?

"_NOT EVEN ME, DADDY OR MOMMY!" _

"_Miss Rin!"_ Gacha exclaimed, hovering so close that our faces were merely inches away. "_For goodness sake! What on earth is the matter? Are you in pain? Is something malfunctioning? Are you hungry? When's the last time you've eaten? Did you forget to use the bathroom before you went to sleep? Is VOCALOID mode acting up? Waaaaah! Tell me already, what is it?"_ The little machine flailed around in a panic, his eyes wide and crazed. _"Miiiiiistress! You really need to console me about your condition beforehand! Not at the last minute!" _Finally, the pain gradually began to disappear. It no longer felt as if sharp needles would poke at my lungs when I breathed. I took long, slow gasps. My eyes wandering above to see a green blur continuously flail around the ceiling.

I blinked.

"_Ga-"_

"_Oh no no no noooooooo! D-Does this mean you're finally starting your period…? GWAAAH NOOO!"_ Without a moment's hesitation, the robot hovered directly over my face. _"MISTRESS! ARE YOU BLEEDING IN THE VAGINAL AREA? HAVE YOUR BREASTS STARTED MATURING? HAVE YOU BEEN HAVING LONG-LASTING CRAMPS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK? HAVE THERE BEEN ANY NEEDS TO TAKE OUT YOUR ANGER ON THE OPPOSTITE SEX? I, YOUR SERVANT INCLUDED? TELL ME IT ISN"T SO MISTRESS! PLEEEEASE!"_

Bleeding in the…?

Maturing breasts?

Cramps?

… Needs to take out my anger on the opposite… 'sex'?

What?

I tilted my head sideways in confusion, staring at him. I didn't have the slightest clue to what he was speaking of. However, I merely shook my head.

_"No. I haven't."_

"_Oh…! Thank goodness!"_ Gacha exclaimed with a sigh, allowing himself to practically melt onto the covers. _"Haaah~… You had me worried there for a moment."_ He sighed again, his round body relaxing. He immediately glanced up at me, looking serious. "_But really. What's the matter?"_ I hesitated before answering.

"_I… I've had another dream."_ I admitted reluctantly. I began rubbing my hands up and down my cold arms.

"_Again?"_

I nodded quickly. _"Y-Yes. This time, a strange girl appeared… and she wanted to h-hurt me…"_ My voice beginning to quiver. _"S-She was strangling me and she wouldn't let go. S-she told me I was a bad girl…! Th-that I sinned and that n-no one would forgive me and then-!"_

"_Madam, madam! Do calm down, you're shaking like a leaf!"_ Gacha chided, floating over to me. His tiny black eyes bore into mine, filled with a strange sense of calmness. _"I have no clue whatsoever to why you keep having these strange nightmares, but this is the fourth time you've woken up because of them. They're causing you to act erratically…" _He said, frowning if he could. _"Your appetite lacks during meal times, you no longer get enough sleep to last the day, and you can barely keep up with our study sessions now."_

"_I do not know why either…"_ I answered tiredly, feeling my eyelids starting to droop. My throat suddenly felt very dry, I was thirsty. _"What is the time now?"_

"_Five o'clock in the morning."_

"_I need water…"_ Slowly, I slipped out of the covers and walked out of the room. I made my way through the dark halls, in a daze. Beside me, Gacha whizzed around and about as we walked down the stairs.

"_Perhaps those dreams of yours, they might have something to do with your memories!"_ Gacha said, eyes sparking with anticipation. _"That's it! Don't you see, mistress? They might hold the key to unlocking your past! Oooh, this is prized discovery!"_ I didn't reply, feeling too tired to do so. When I reached the final flight of stairs, I could hear a few pots clattering downstairs. We perked up.

An intruder?

Alarmed and wide-awake, Gacha and I hurried to investigate.

A crash sounded in the nearby room, which was presumably in the kitchen. "Ah! Damn!" I heard a woman curse. Turning the final corner, I could see a woman with long, dark-blonde hair bent over a mess of kitchen appliances. "Mou… I should really tidy this place up."

"Na… mi?"

Right when Nami's head turned, Gacha immediately dived inside the opening of my loose clothes. Nami stared at me in surprise. "Rin-chan? What are you doing up so early?"

"I… was thirsty. I only came down for a glass of water." I answered, briefly glancing down at the floor. Then I re-averted my gaze back to Nami. "Ah… what about you?" She smiled and got to her feet.

"Couldn't sleep. I figured to make myself a cup of hot cocoa, but," Nami gestured to the mess, laughing embarrassedly, "I couldn't find the marshmallows. And it looks as if my search could've woken up the entire house." She sighed. "But it might not matter anyway, it's not even winter yet. I'll just prepare the usual, decaffeinated coffee Dell and I just loooove to drink on boring mornings." She rolled her eyes at that phrase before strolling over to the coffee pot. "Oh wait. You've never had cocoa before, have you, Rin-chan, dearest?" She didn't wait for my reply. "Well, an opportunity such as this certainly cannot be passed! Water or coffee will never do! That does it, you and I are having hot cocoa whether Delly-kins likes it or not! We need to have some fun in our beverages for once!" I stood there, staring at her with a helpless look. She caught onto this, "Oh sweetie, what are you standing there for? Have a seat! Now don't be shy, c'mon! That's it! Good girl." Just as she ushered me into one of the dining chairs, she quickly turned a pot of boiling milk on the stove.

Nami sprinted to the cabinets and gathered ingredients, stirring them into the pot. I watched in curiosity as she continued to add more spices, humming cheerfully as she did. Then she suddenly whipped out a packet of brown powder and poured its contents into the pot. A strange, sweet-smelling aroma exploded in the air, making my mouth water.

"Aha~! The marshmallows have been found!" Nami called out cheerfully as she ripped open a bag of white puffy squares, pouring most of them along with the mix of ingredients. My interest increased as she poured the now, rich browned 'milk' into both mugs. She sat down beside me on another chair and handed me the hot mug. "It's as the French say; bon appetite! Careful though, it's still hot." And she put the mug to her lips, sipping the drink and sighing in contentment. I copied her actions, also holding the mug to my lips.

The warm, sweet liquid exploded in my mouth, making my eyes widen.

It tasted… heavenly.

I swallowed quickly and drained the rest of the mug. Nami laughed when I placed the empty mug down, she looked impressed. "Goodness, Rin-chan. You're quite the chocolate-lover, aren't you? Here, I'll pour you some more." She picked up my mug and re-filled it at the stove, returning with both mugs filled to the brim with extra marshmallows. I eagerly received from her and began draining the cup once again.

"Haaaah~…" I let out a small sigh of contentment. I looked at Nami gratefully. "Thank you, that was very delicious." She laughed kindly, her brown eyes dancing.

"No problem at all, my sweet~. I enjoy spending time with you." Nami's long fingers traced over my left cheek, she looked at me with a tender smile. "You know... Me, Len-kun, Kaito-kun and Dell, we love you very much, Rin-chan." At those words, I felt something inside me overwhelm my entire body with happiness. Though, there was one thing I didn't understand.

"… Love?" I asked, suddenly feeling very confused. "What is that? Can you eat it? Is it sweet?" Nami looked at me, blinking. Then, she burst in a crazy fit of laughter. I watched her in confusion.

"Ahahahaha~! C-Can you eat love? Oh, that's rich~!" Nami exclaimed, allowing herself to melt in the chair while her entire body racked with laughter. She then sat up, chuckling and looking at me with an amused look. "You're so funny, hon."

"But, what is it? What is love?" I persisted, tilting my head sideways in bewilderment. "Can you not explain?" Her expression softened, and she gave a light, hearty chuckle before standing up.

"Wait here then. I'll be right back." Nami walked out of the kitchen, her footsteps echoing. That was when Gacha's voice started scolding me mechanically.

"_Love' is nothing of importance, miss Rin. In fact, I find it's better if we don't investigate this matter any further." _Before I could retort, Nami suddenly returned.

"I'm baaack~! Oooh! I've been wanting to go through this old thing with someone!" Nami sat down and spread a strange-looking object out on the table. It appeared to be a large, heavily-decorated book with a strange assortment of pictures on the cover. Its pages looked slightly worn and dusted out, but still in fairly good condition.

"A book? What will we need it for?"

"I'll show you." She opened to the first page, with broad picture showing. It was a shot of a dainty young lady who appeared to be Nami, only she looked younger and her hair was cut shorter. She was surrounded by trees which had its leaves blowing all around. And she was smiling.

"This is you?" I asked, pointing to the lady in the picture.

"Yep~." Nami answered with a grin. "That was me all right. Didn't look much of an old girl than I do now, right?" She turned the page, displaying two different pictures.

On the left was Nami again. Only this time, her belly showed a large bulge with her hands were held over the spot. "That was taken a week just before I had Len." She said, chuckling. "Goodness, I can't believe I looked that huge~!" When her eyes flickered to the other page, her expression suddenly fell. Curious, I looked down at the photo as well.

In the next picture, it had three people in it. One of them showed a tired but happy-looking Nami who cradled a baby in her arms, smiling. The baby was looking up with big blue eyes. His pale hair very light and soft-looking, almost resembling feathers. The baby must have been Len, I thought to myself with a faint smile.

He looked so… fragile and little.

My attention then came across a tanned, broad-chested man in the picture. He too, looked a little similar to Len, with some of his features. He was smiling as well. But his expression appeared more solemn, just like Mr. Dell.

"Nami? Who is that man?" I asked, turning to face her.

Nami's face looked tense. She wasn't looking at me, but was instead staring at the photo, a haze falling over her eyes. She suddenly looked back at me. "Oh? Sorry, Rin-chan. I wasn't paying attention, h-how rude of me." I looked at her with a frown. She averted my gaze and turned back to the photo, trying to smile. "Y-You're talking about _him_. T-That was Len-kun's father."

I blinked. "Len's father?" I repeated, surprised. My frown deepened and my cheeks puffed out. "But, I thought Mr. Dell was…?"

"No." Nami said, shaking her head sadly. "As much as I would like it to be, Len isn't biologically related to Dell. I married him after Len-kun's father and I went our separate ways."

"Kaito?"

"Kaito-kun isn't biologically related to me or Len-kun either. Dell is his father, but I'm not his birth mother."

"I see…" I answered carefully, looking down at the warm mug in my hands. Then I realized something. "But… how does this pertain to 'love…?" A strange smile grew on Nami's face. She turned back and began flipping the pages slowly.

The next pictures showed Len, his father, and Nami as a complete family. Some of them showing Len growing up as a child, others with Nami or the father. She stopped at one particular one, where they were on what looked like a picnic. Len was in-between them, smiling, while Nami and the man brought their lips in strange contact.

"Love is a hard thing to explain, sweetheart. After all, they are many different kinds, in each and every way. But they're all special." Nami smiled sadly at the photo, allowing her fingers to linger. "But to me, the greatest love of all… is being _in_ love."

"Are those not different things?" I asked.

"That's right." Nami chuckled, "I was once in love with Len-kun's father. He completed me as I completed him. I gave my heart to him, as well as he did to me." I blinked, trying to comprehend what she just said. But I couldn't, much to my frustration. Nami and Len's father 'completed' each other? They gave their 'hearts' to each other?

What did those things mean?

As if noticing my confused expression, an look of understanding grew on Nami's face. She smiled at me. "It's perfectly fine if you don't understand. You're still very young, Rin-chan, so you don't need to know anything like this."

"But…!" I began to protest, my lower lip quivering. "I need to know _now_! I must…!" I looked down at my hands in shame, quivering. " I… I want to be able to know what these things mean, but I do not understand." I looked down at my hands in shame, quivering. "Even as you try to explain, I still cannot decipher your words." My head lowered even further and sides of my eyes began to prickle. "It is because I am not like everyone else…? The fact that I am very much different from all the kind people around me?" I blinked, trying to prevent the water building up in my stinging eyes.

"Everyone… seems to have a better understanding of everything than I do. They all know their boundaries, and they can be happy knowing what to feel… or who they are. But I do not even know those things. I do not even know who I am…" My vision became blurred as my voice grew fainter. "I… I truly wish I could have been born like everyone else, perhaps then I would not have to feel so alone…!" Before I knew it, hot tears began streaming down my cheeks.

My eyes widened as an indescribable pain exploded in my chest, causing me to gasp and clutch at it.

Why?

Why did it hurt so much?

It was until that time, that I knew. Len, Kaito, Meiko-nee, Akaito, Ted, Miku, Teto or Luka… I truly wasn't like any of them. And because of that... I had always been alone.

All this time.

More pain bubbled inside me. I gasped and clutched at the throbbing being in my chest. Hot tears continued to course down my cheeks and onto my lips, allowing me to taste their saltiness. and I couldn't will them to halt. Nami's soft fingers lifted my chin, forcing me to meet her gaze.

"You are very different, Rin-chan." Her kind voice soothing me, "And that's alright. But honestly, I don't think anyone would prefer you any other way." She said, "You're sweet, beautiful, and kind. Everyone shows they're having a lot of fun when you're around them." She leaned in with a smile. "Len-kun and Kaito-kun, for instance… I've never seen those two act so brotherly with each other since you came. Their relationship is a lot better than it used to be." She laughed. "Meiko-chan seems to really like you, she's always around asking about you. And even Delly-kins seems to have developed a softer streak nowadays. I think you're the cause for those nice happenings, ne?"

I stared at her.

Nami chuckled. "Having you here, you've already become a real part of our family. And I want you to stay here forever…" She looked at me with a soft expression, brushing the hair out of my eyes. "In fact, you're like a daughter to me." The pain in my chest faded upon hearing those words. Nami suddenly moved forward and gently wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a kind embrace.

"Na…?"

"Don't be ashamed of being different. I'm always here for you, so don't worry." A strange, nostalgic feeling swept over me as I was held in such caring arms. I couldn't help it, I leaned forward as well and returned the embrace.

This felt familiar somehow…

An image of the Angel flashed before my eyes. I blinked.

Nami giggled and pulled me closer. "And I don't care who or _what _you are, no matter what Dell says about you~. I'm your mommy now." My eyes widened upon hearing those words. More images of the mysterious woman with golden hair continuing flashing in my head.

"…"

Another giggle escaped from Nami.

"And me, as you mommy, I'll always love you~. Forever."

"_Mommy will always love you, Rin. Forever and ever."_

… Was that so?

A wave of exhaustion suddenly washed over me, my eyes began to droop and darken. Cold chills ran up and down my spine. A strange numbness paralyzed me.

"_My dearest, Japan is the most wonderful place in the world…"_

How strange…

I felt… so tired…

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**Kaito's POV**

My unfortunate self was crammed between a mass of bodies. I was forced to stand on the moving train.

Today, apparently the bus broke down. And since Nami still wouldn't allow me drive on the motorbike with Rin or Len squeezed together (I bet Len wouldn't mind though, he'd probably like being packed close with his pet), she left us with the only option of taking the subway...

Which was even worse.

"Oi, rabbit girl. Keep your head up so I can see you." I nudged the shorter blonde, who was buried deep in the giant crowd of people. On my other side was Len, who was trying his best not to collide with anyone else on the shaking floor.

Thankfully, the train finally halted, right at our stop. Gently taking the scruff of Rin's shirt collar, Len and I moved past the people in the tight space and out the sliding doors.

"Jesus Christ, that took forever. Ugh." I groaned when we stepped onto the escalator which was moving up. Shota and his pet stepped up behind me.

"You complain too much." Shota commented behind me. I was for sure he was rolling his eyes at me.

I turned around with a scowl. "Shut up, shota-kun. Just because I'm not a spineless mama's boy, doesn't mean I still can't crack that smart-ass mouth of yours." His eyebrows raised in cocky interest.

"Really? You're willing to start a fight here?"

"I can if I want to." I snapped, preparing to spew insults. But then, I noticed Rin. She looked dazed, almost exhausted. Her eyes were beginning to droop and she began to wobble back and forth on the moving stairs. Len seemed to caught on to who I was staring at.

"Hey, Rin. You okay?"

"..."

Rabbit girl didn't seem to hear him. Instead, her eyes suddenly closed. Then, without warning, she fell backwards. My jaw dropped right before I could dive to grab her. But luckily for me, the other blond was standing behind her.

"Ah! RIN!" Len immediately moved forward with his arms wide open and she melted into his hug. She was sprawled out against him, her head leaning against his shoulder. Soft mumbles escaped from her lips.

Apparently, she had fallen asleep.

… Okay.

Just tell me. What kind of person would randomly fall asleep inside a subway station?

And on an escalator?

Seriously, what the fuck?

Len hovered over her, looking concerned as he always did when it came to his precious bunny-chan. "Rin, Rin…" He moved her shoulders, gently, back and forth in effort to wake her up. "C'mon, Rin. You can't fall asleep here. Wake up." Rin finally woke up when we arrived at the top, all of us resumed walking out of the station and into the broad sunlight.

"Tired, rabbit girl?" I bopped Rin's head with my backpack, making her bow bob slightly.

"…" She nodded once, staring wordlessly at the ground. Len frowned at her.

"Rin-" He was interrupted when two voices broke in, shouting our names.

"Kaito! Len! Rin-chan!"

"Rin-san! Kagamine-kun! Kaito-senpai!"

Shota and I turned to faced the newcomers, who were (not surprisingly) Meiko and Megurine-chan. "Oh… Meiko-nee, Megurine-san, good morning." Shota-kun greeted.

"Good morning." Luka answered politely.

"Mornin' kiddo." Meiko mussed around his hair for a while before turning to Rin and mussing her hair around too. Then she turned to me with a grin. I couldn't help grinning back.

"Yo."

"So," Meiko bobbed her head at me in mock aggressiveness, "think anyone's willing to take me up on today's basketball match in P.E?" I let myself roll my eyes coolly, scoffing for the effect.

"Depends on who you're asking."

"Well, I'm asking you. You gonna back out or what?" We stood face-to-face, trying to stare each other down.

"And lose to a girl? Nah." Her eyes narrowed.

"You're all talk." Meiko snapped, "As a girl, you know I could kick your ass." My calm expression flinched, but only for a second. Meiko definitely could kill me with bare hands, and any day at that.

But still.

We glared at each other, then burst into full-blown laughter and slapped each other high-fives. "We're totally gonna beat the other team, Kaito!" Meiko proclaimed with fire in her eyes. Then she stood on top of a bench as she pointed right at one of our classmates who she hated so much. "WE WILL KICK AND YOUR TEAM'S ASS, HAYAMA! Y'HEAR? I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD ROASTING OVER A FIRE FOR STARING AT MY BUST THE OTHER DAY! I WILL BEAT THE FUCKING SHIT OUTTA YOU IN P.E!" I cracked up when I saw the expression on Hayama's face.

Honest to God, this was one of the reasons why Meiko and I were such good friends. She was so hilarious.

"I swear I love you, Mei-chan." I gasped while wiping tears from my eyes. Meiko looked at me, flushed. Then she suddenly whacked me on the head.

"S-Shut up, idiot! You need to learn to watch what you say!"

"Oh my." Luka commented with a giggle, "Meiko-san and Kaito-senpai must be very good friends… both always act so affectionate with each other."

"Wh-! D-don't be silly, Luka-chan! Y-You know it's nothing like that between me and Kaito!" Rubbing my head, I stared at the flailing Meiko in confusion.

"Nothing like _what_ between us?"

"Be quiet." Meiko answered, quickly turning to Luka. "_Anyway_… where's Teto?" In reply, she began to laugh shakily.

"Umm… well, it's kind of embarrassing actually." Luka coughed nervously, twiddling her fingers. "But… during the rainfall last night, she… ran around the entire neighborhood in her underwear singing the theme from Tokyo Mew Mew." She ended the sentence quickly.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"… You're fucking serious?"

"Ahaha~. Y-Yes, I'm afraid so. But now it looks like she's gotten sick since she wouldn't stop throwing up this morning. She looked really pale too…"

Crazy kid, I thought with a scoff.

Len frowned. "That's too bad." Then his expression brightened, as if an amazing idea came to him, "Oh! Do you think Kasane-san would mind if we came to visit later on?" Luka smiled.

"Not at all. I think she'd like that very much."

"Pfft, well I'm not about to waste my time on that crazy kid. Whoever she looked up to must've been a bad example to start out with." I stated, waving everyone off. "Seriously, that motormouth of hers could turn Mother Theresa into an axe-murderer." Meiko shot me a glare.

"For your information, I happen to be that example. I've been taking care that 'crazy kid' since she was in diapers. Now you better watch what you say, otherwise I'll have my future children will grow up to kick your that smart-ass of yours day and night." She said dangerously, cracking her knuckles. Despite my shivers, I had to talk again.

"Hah. Who says you'll even have children? Let alone get married? No sane guy would ever take up you to bear his-"

_BAM!_

* * *

I hate brunettes now.

I especially hate short-tempered brunettes who lose their cool easily and whack you day-to-day for no reason at all.

Damn that Meiko.

I slumped into my seat with huff, slapping my books on the desk. One of my classmates stopped to gape at me. "Whoa… what the hell happened to your face?" My eyes flashed over at Meiko, who was pretending to listen to one of her friends' conversation. But I could tell she was deliberately ignoring me.

"Got hit with a baseball." I mumbled.

"Uh… you're sure a baseball can do _that_ much damage?"

Damn. Did I really look that much like crap right now?

"Yeah, I'm sure." I scowled, starting to get irritated. Before I could make another witty insult, this incredibly _hot_ woman entered the room, following behind our prune-faced teacher.

She looked pretty young, probably in her mid-to-late-twenties. Her shiny hair was long and silver, tied up a professional bun. She had piercing, crimson eyes which were sharpened with intellect.

"Everyone, take your seats!" Our teacher screeched like a carnivorous vulture. Like bats out of hell, everyone stopped chatting and scrambled to their desks. Seeing the gorgeous creature, all the guys in my classroom began nosebleeding at the sight of her, their eyes running up and down her restricted areas. "Now, students. As all of you know, I'm traveling to the United States for the rest of the trimester. But, I came to say my last goodbyes and introduce to your new substitute and guidance counselor." She squawked, gesturing over to the silver-haired woman. Her blood-red lips curved into a pleasant smile.

"Hello, students." Our new teacher started in a clear, sharp voice. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I am Yowane Haku, I'll be studying with all of you for the rest of this year." Her crimson eyes flashed around, her smile growing. "I'm not particularly fond of formalities, so I think it'd be best if you all simply addressed to me simply as 'Ms. Haku."

Everyone, including me stared at her in amazement. Then I noticed her gaze wandered over to me. Her smile widened and I could see the strange glint in her eyes, making me blink. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Meiko glaring over at me.

* * *

**Len's POV**

Three things.

One. Rin had been avoiding everyone, including me, like the plague. She keeps spacing out and tripping over stuff, which has me worried.

Two. Miku hadn't shown up today either like yesterday. I seriously missed talking to someone who wouldn't mind listening to my complaints.

And three. Here I was, stuck in the school's boring library, forced to work with a teal-haired bastard who I could've sworn he was the devil's pawn.

"You two need any specific research? I can book them for you." We both looked up at the same time, seeing it was Megurine-san. I smiled in relief, thankful to have someone else here.

"No. We're fine, thanks." Megurine-san smiled pleasantly, clasping her hands together.

"Ah, alright then."

"You're the student librarian, aren't you, Megurine-san?" Hatsune casually joined the conversation.

"Why, yes."

"You must have some certain advantages to that, am I right?"

A slight look of confusion contorted the tall girl's face. "A-Advantages? Er… I don't think so. I just love working here, that's all~." She answered cheerfully. I noticed something about her, which caught my interest.

"You look happy today, Megurine-san." I pointed this out, "Did something nice happen to you?" Megurine-san blinked, then a pink hue colored her cheeks.

"E-Eh! W-Who, me? Ah… ahahahaha~!" Megurine burst into nervous giggles, the pink on her cheeks brightening. "T-That's ridiculous! T-There's absolutely no reason a-at all for me to act so…" Then she stopped, smiling shyly. "Does it really show?"

"It certainly does." Hatsune said with a coy smile. "It seems someone special to Megurine-san must have caused that." The pink-haired librarian gaped at him in mortification.

"E-Eh? H-How could you know something like that, Hatsune-kun? I-I've never told anyone that professor Kamui-!" She abruptly clamped a hand over her mouth, blushing harder than ever. I rose an eyebrow in further interest.

"What about the professor?"

Megurine-san froze in horror. She began flailing her arms around in desperation. "N-Nothing, nothing! I-It's really nothing important you need to know about! Really! Oh, and please don't mention any of this to Teto! Please!"

"Why not?"

"BECAUSE!" Megurine slammed both hands on our table, startling us. Her face was ashen and her eyes bulged in horror. She looked like a horror-movie actress. "IF YOU DO THAT, I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO LIVE PAST THE WEEK, SO DON'T TELL HER ABOUT WHAT THE PROFESSOR- WAIT NO, DON'T EVEN _MENTION_ HIS NAME AROUND HER, YOU BOTH GOT IT?"

We stared at her, totally taken off-guard by her behavior. Even Mikuo looked surprised, and he rarely displayed those emotions. "U-Understood." Megurine blinked, then stepped back to brush herself off.

"Aha~ so sorry about that. I-I guess I'm just a little overexcited right now." Megurine laughed in embarrassment. Then she looked over at Hatsune. "So, how's Miku-san? Is she doing alright?" He smiled.

"More or less, I suppose."

Megurine frowned. "Oh… okay." She shuffled back to the front desk.

There was something I had been meaning to ask, so I opened my mouth. "Hey… I hope you don't mind me saying this, but do you two have some kind of bad relationship with each other or something? Neither of you talk to each other at school. And she acts uncomfortable when you're brought up." I waited for his response. To my surprise, he laughed.

"It's not that Miku-chan and I are on bad terms, so to speak. We're just not on _good_ terms." I frowned. "But you and Rin-chan appear to have a healthy relationship… you both never argued before, it seems."

"That's because we're not twins." …Was what I wanted to say.

I almost sighed. There were countless times I just wanted to shout that me and Rin weren't like that. I mean, sure, having her around and act my (baby) sister was pretty cool, but in actuality, Rin was just Rin.

But I shrugged. "Yeah, well, as long we're both nice to each other, it works out fine. But you could say we're pretty close. Rin's always trailing after me around and always looking for my hand to be held…" I stated casually before glancing at Hatsune with a victory smile on my face. "But then I guess that's how it should be between twins." I couldn't help adding onto that last part.

Mikuo laughed again, though it sounded a lot fainter. "True, there was once a time Miku-chan and I were very close. But then, we were only children before." He looked down at his hands, his smile turning bitter. "As my elder sister, I truly wished to be like her. She was kind, smart, beautiful… and she would always take my hand and lead me somewhere to play, I'd happily follow after her." Then his smile faded entirely, he glanced at his large set of books. "But, that was before… we were caught up in that little accident."

"Accident?" I repeated.

"I'd rather not talk about it." Hatsune said quickly. He sgrabbed one of the books and popping it open. I frowned. Part of me wanted to push him about it, but the rest of me didn't want trouble.

I decided not to ask him.

Sighing, I returned to what I was reading.

After about half-an hour, I got really bored. I seriously didn't want to read another _word_ about rotation of stars, so I set the book down with a sigh. I'd finish reading what was my second book, at for that moment, I felt proud of myself… until I saw the multitude of open books and stack of notes on Hatsune's other side of the table. I groaned and nearly banged my head against the table.

I hated this project.

Then, the doors swung open. A rush of footsteps skittered across the library carpet. "M-Megurine-san! Where's Len-kun? It's an emergency!" A high-pitched voice demand. I heard a few more voices chatter.

"An emergency? What kind? Did something happened?" I heard Megruine's confused voice.

"Now's not the time to explain!" I heard one boy exclaim. "Just tell us where Kagamine is! He's the only who can help Rin-chan!" Hearing Rin mentioned, I stood up from my chair in alarm and ran around the shelf to the front desk. There, I saw of my classmates hovering over a very startled Megurine.

"What's going on? What happened to Rin?" I demanded as their heads spun around to face me.

"Oh! Kagamine-kun!" One of the girls ran up to me, obviously looking distressed. "It's your sister! She's…-!"

"You have to come quick!" A dark-haired boy who I recognized from history class ran up to me and starting flailing his arms. He looked obviously freaked out. "You're our last chance! " My eyes widened momentarily, then narrowed in determination.

"Where is she?"

* * *

**Meiko's POV**

What a jerk.

I picked up my books and stomped out of class with an annoyed huff, not bothering to wait up for any of my friends. A mental picture of a certain blue-haired moron came to mind.

Seriously, that _asshole_. Who did he think he was?

And why am I acting like a pissed bitch right now? Oh well, you see, I'm just skeptical of the fact it took almost a year for that idiot to even know I existed in kindergarten while that sub of ours just grabs his attention straightaway.

Really?

Okay, I understood the fact he was a guy with raging hormones, but just _really_?

I twisted the combination on my locker and swung the door open, gathering the materials I needed for the next class.

I saw him, that idiot of mine, he had been making cow eyes at Ms. What's-her-face. And now it was disgustingly obvious. He had a fucking crush on her. _Already_.

I cleared out the top shelf, scowling slightly (I really had to tidy up). That was when I came across an old, worn-out picture of a ten-year-old Kaito flashing a wide peace sign. I blinked, reaching for it.

It was until then my mind began to swim.

I've had feelings for Kaito since I was in preschool. At first it started out as a small crush. He had been cute and goofy and lovable, which made it really hard not to like him. But in freshman year I'd recently discovered the fact I was hopelessly in love with him, and I grew to treasure those moments of having there. At times you could really count on him to be the somewhat harsh and sarcastic little bastard he was, but in truth, his gentle side still remained, and he'd only show it to the ones he cared most about. His old self was still there…

Even after his mom disappeared.

I studied the picture for a long while, thinking back to those old times.

"_Meiko-chan!"_

"Meiko!"

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a deep, familiar voice shout my name. I turned to find a breathless, slightly red-faced Kaito jogging up to me.

"Kaito?"

"D-Damn, you run too fast." He was shook his head at me before look of seriousness crossed his face. "But anyway, what the hell? Why were running away?" I blushed. Well, _almost_.

"W-What are you talking about?" I mumbled as I looked away, shoving the picture back in my locker before slamming it shut. I began walking back to class, Kaito followed.

"Oi, don't deny it. I called your name several and you just ignored me." That statement made me flinch.

"I couldn't hear you." I answered casually. He frowned and reached for me.

"Meiko…" I began thinking how nice it would be to just melt in his warm, strong arms, but instead I shot him the 'touch-me-and-I'll-break-your-fingers-with-a-nutcracker' glare. He recoiled back in irritation. "The hell's your problem?" I rolled my eyes.

"Nothing."

Except right now I'm pissed at the fact that another woman has your attention while I've had your back for almost ten years.

"Was it something I did?"

"Not really."

Except you just totally made my life more miserable than it already is.

Kaito stopped me by placing his hands on my shoulders and spinning me around. "Don't lie to me." He spoke, his voice becoming feisty. "I know you better than that. Something's wrong" I scowled, shrugging away.

"What's it matter to you? It's not like you care." A slight look of bewilderment crossed his face, then he huffed exasperatedly. Before he could make a pathetic comeback however, some weird dude from our class ran up to us, apparently looking freaked-out.

"H-Hey, Kaito! You gotta come quick!"

Kaito glanced at him confusedly. "Huh? What happened?"

"Your sister! The little freshman girl! She's- argh! I can't explain right now!" He began running and gestured for us to follow. "Come on!" Confused and totally lost, we glanced at each other before nodding. We ran after him.

* * *

"Oh my god! Someone call the Headmaster!" One girl shrieked. Kaito and me pushed our way to the front of the fairly large crowd, we then stopped upon seeing a very disturbing sight.

What the hell…?

Sprawled out on the middle of the floor, was Rin-chan. She was curled up in a ball, shaking and gasping. Her eyes were closed in a deep sleep, but she appeared to be having a nightmare. Sweat glistened her face and her body racked with flailing movements, jerking from side to side.

"Nnn…! Nnn!"

Kaito, gasping, turned to the crowd with horror-filled eyes. "What the hell happened?" He shouted, obviously distressed. The crowd murmured, looking bewildered and frightened. Three senior girls stepped up, biting their lower lip in discomfort.

"She…! She just appeared out of nowhere! We saw her wandering over here with this really weird look on her face and we came over to see if something was wrong but-!""She just suddenly collapsed! A-And then-!"

"She just starting acting like _that_!" The third girl finished, looking over at Rin-chan with fear. "B-But she wasn't even supposed be on these floors…" Kaito growled.

"What do you mean she suddenly starting acting like this? That's complete bullsh-!" Kaito was suddenly interrupted when Rin-chan's meek voice was heard.

"_N-Nein!"_ Rin-chan gasped, though she was still asleep. "_Nein! Nein! NEIN! Mach mich nicht! Ich will nicht!"_ She arched her back and her movements became violent and jerky, causing all of us to step back. "_M-… Mama!"_ She choked out, eyes squeezing shut in discomfort. _"Mama! Mama…!"_

"Mama?" I uttered in disbelief as we stared at the flailing girl.

Rin-chan…

Was she… dreaming about her mother?

"Rin!" A blond boy pushed his way to the front, it was Len. Several others arrived behind him, Luka-chan and the Hatsune kid included. Most of their expressions turning shell-shocked or horrified. "Rin…" Len managed to say, his eyes wide with shock and terror. He began moving towards Rin, only to be stopped by hissing Kaito.

"Back off, idiot! Who knows what'll happen if you touch her!"

"But-!"

Then, just like that, Rin stopped flailing and lay still, unmoving.

Silence.

Slowly, Luka-chan made her way up to the still girl. She bent down and reached down to touch her shoulder. Her face held a worried look. "Rin-san? Are you- AAH!" She gasped in surprise when Rin-chan's suddenly fluttered open. In a flash, their positions switched.

Rin's hands were snaked around Luka's neck, squeezing her throat. "Rin-san…" Luka choked out, her eyes squeezed shut in excruciation. She tried to loosen Rin's hold, but to no success, Rin was too strong. Dark bangs covered her eyes, making her expression unreadable. "H-Hurting me… please… stop…" All the color began to drain from Luka's beautiful face, turning into a ghastly shade of purple. "Please…" Her hands only tightened, making Luka gag.

"Stop it! RIN!" Len shouted in a terrified voice. He lurched forward and grabbed her wrists, struggling to release the chokehold. "Let go of her! You'll…! YOU'LL KILL HER IF YOU DON'T STOP!"

"!" As if she had touched fire, her hands immediately snatched back from Luka's neck. Rin stood up, eyes wide. Len was hovering over Luka, who was coughing. "Kagamine-kun…" She gasped. Len did his best to smile.

"You're gonna be okay, don't worry…" Then his gaze flickered up at Rin, a hurt, terrified expression written all over his face. Rin stared at him, shaking and staring at them both in wild bewilderment.

"What happened? What's going on?" Professor Gakupo demanded as he stepped out from behind a student, who had apparently reported the problem. Seeing Luka, he pushed past the crowd and leaned over her.

"Len?" Rin asked in a small voice. She sounded totally lost and frightened.

Len stood up, his face pale. "Rin… why?" Came his soft reply. He looked at her, betrayal evident his eyes. "How could you hurt Megurine like this? What did she ever do to you? She's your friend!" Rin stiffened into stone. Afraid and confused, she stepped back.

"I… that…" Rin had drawn her shaky hands to her face in order to look at them with anguish and terror. "I-I… mmmf!" She suddenly gasped and covered her mouth. Then, her entire body began to rack and shake once more, her eyes widening in shock.

"Hey," Kaito approached her, looking worried. "What's wrong?" Gasping, she shook her head violently and ran towards the other direction in a fast, inhuman speed.

"Wait! Stop right there, Kagamine-san!" Kamui commanded. But Rin ignored him and continued running. She jumped and soared over the long flight of stairs, much to our amazement. Her legs broke into a sprint, running faster than any possible track star could. She clutched her mouth with both hands, stumbling along the way.

"No, Rin! Wait a minute! I-!" Len ran a few steps before stopping when Rin turned a corner. He sank to the ground with a desperate curse. "Dammit!" The purple-haired professor, despite his confusion, ordered everyone back to their classes. He then asked a few students to escort Luka to the nurse's office.

I frowned as I watched Luka-chan being carried off by two boys. I glanced over in the direction Rin-chan ran off. Kaito was leaning over Len, trying to make him feel better. I enmitted a long sigh.

How had it come to this?

Why did Rin suddenly attack Luka like that?

It was as if she had been… _possessed._

"That girl, Rin-chan… how could she do such a terrible thing?" I heard one girl whisper to her friend with terror evident in her eyes.

"Yeah, she seemed so cute and sweet… but then looks are deceiving, huh?"

"Totally. We should stay away from her from now on."

I scowled, just as I was about to go over there and give those girls a lecture on gossiping. I noticed Hatsune, who had been standing right next to me a few minutes ago, his spot was empty.

He had vanished.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

I leaned over against the sink, shivering and gasping.

What had I just done…?

I hurt Luka, I hurt Luka, I… tried to _kill_ her.

Images of her discolored face struck me. A feeling of nausea overcame me, my eyes widened. I ran into the stall and began retching again.

Blood…

There could've been so much _blood_! Just like in those dreams…!

When I finally stopped vomiting, I allowed my body to collapse against the wall. My breathing became erratic, almost to the point where it hurt to breathe.

Why?

Why had I done that to Luka?

She…! She was my friend! Someone kind to me! Someone-!

"_Kindness never lasts… at least, not until they find out what you __**really**__ are."_ The little girl's voice echoed, causing me to writhe in pain. Shakily, I stood to my feet and made my way towards the mirror. I stared at the pale, ashen girl who stared back at me. Our expressions matched.

"_You're a bad girl, Rin. A very bad girl. You did a very naughty thing again, and now everyone hates you."_ The girl's voice echoed inside the lavatory. Her shadowed face came into view inside the mirror, replacing my reflection, she was grinning. _"You are filthy."_

_Filthy…?_

No...

NO NO NO!

"_GO AWAY!"_ I screamed at her, covering my ears from her hurtful voice. _"LEAVE ME ALONE!"_ I rose a clenched fist, slamming it against the glass. Pain exploded in my fist, but seeing her distorted image shatter in broken pieces, it calmed me. I collapsed to the ground. An image of the mysterious woman in my dreams appeared before my eyes, making my clutch at my chest in pain.

Why wouldn't they leave me alone?

Now everyone. Even Len.

They all _despised_ me.

Suddenly, a knock at the door was heard.

"Rin-chan? Are you in there?" Mikuo-kun's muffled voice sounded with worry on the other side, he wanted to come in. Gasping, I immediately shot up and positioned my body over the door.

"_D-Don't come in! Please!"_

A cheerful laugh was his reply.

"_Oh? Why's that? Are you talking to someone in there?"_

"_N-No!"_ I answered, shaking my head even despite the fact he couldn't see. _"I-I'm just here all by myself! But! Just please don't come in!"_

"_As you wish."_ I heard his body slump against the other side of the door. _"I'll just wait until you come out then."_ I felt my face heat up with embarrassment.

"M-Mikuo-kun!"

Another laugh.

A silence consumed us. I smiled to myself, feeling much better now that he was here.

"_You're not feeling yourself today, are you, Rin-chan?"_ Mikuo-kun's calm voice echoed, making me jump. Then I flinched, hesitating to answer.

"_I… I don't know why, Mikuo-kun. I-I didn't mean to attack Luka if that's what you referring to…!"_ I paused uncomfortably, looking down at the floor._ "It just felt like… it wasn't me. W-What I'm trying to say is… I didn't even know what I was doing! I-I was just scared!"_

"_Scared of what, Rin-chan?"_

I took a deep breath, the thing inside my chest throbbing. _"I… I'm scared of not knowing who I am!" _I found myself continuing,_ "I'm scared that I'm not human! I'm scared that I'm different from everyone else, from Len or Kaito or Meiko-nee..."_ The words spilled from my mouth. "_I fear the things I don't know. I fear the things I already knew... and at every moment... I always, more than anyone… fear myself the most!"_

"…"

"_Who am I, Mikuo-kun? __**What**__ am I? That woman, she said she won't forgive me even though I don't recall doing anything bad! A-And hurting Luka like that… I-I didn't want to! I really didn't!"_ I gasped, shivers racking up and down my body. Tears stung at my eyes again. "_But, __**something**__ inside me wanted to! It wanted to hurt Luka and it wouldn't go away! I tried to fight back and tell it to go away… but-!"_

"_I know." _I stopped upon hearing Mikuo speak. _"I know… what you're trying to say."_

His voice came out soft and… sad?

_"That 'something'… you can't help it, I understand that. It pains you to talk about it, am I correct? We should stop now." _I heard him rise to his feet, his hand reaching through the door and grasping my shoulder, making my insides heat up. _"But… don't worry about it. Everything will definitely, definitely be alright."_ With that, he withdrew and walked away. I sat there, dazed.

Strangely, I felt more at peace.

_"Could that have been Mikuo-kun's doing?"_ I asked myself, feeling a blush rise in my face. Slowly, I rose to my feet and glanced over at the badly damanged mirror. I walked towards it, gazing at my distorted reflection.

There was no possible way I could explain this to Gacha...

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something at the window.

A girl?

Indeed so it appeared, the girl had long, beautiful red hair. Her eyes were crimson and glowing. She was dressed in a strange leather armor with a long rifle at her sign. On her intricate face, a sardonic grin was placed.

And on her right shoulder… was a purple butterfly.

Alarmed, I spun around. But when I did, however, she wasn't there. I stared at the window, feeling puzzled.

Had it just been my imagination?

* * *

_**Berlin, Germany**_

**6:41 AM**

**Takeshi HQ: Underground Facility**

**General POV**

Leon Takashi looked at the global map on the giant screen, it zoomed it the location of his daughter, AKA; the 'Project'. Japan's live eight-week-old news showed a fourteen-year-old girl covered in bruises and being bandaged from the attempted rape on her.

It had nearly ten weeks since she escaped.

The well-built man ground his teeth together in frustration, his temper rising at the distant memory. He had worked hard for her revival... for _seven_ goddamn years. And this is how she decided to repay him?

By running away into the clutches of traitorous homeland?

"This is her fault… that useless wench." Leon muttered to himself, recalling the beautiful woman he'd once loved so dearly. But now, his life's work had turned against him and run off…

All because of _her_.

Without even realizing it, his fingernails had dug deeply into the palms of hands. Blood dripped from the old, re-opened wounds. When he finally realized this, he cursed and stood up. He walked over to a small sink and wiped off his hands on the front of his lab.

Well, Leon thought to himself with a sigh, at least Miki was bothering to obey orders this time. His thoughts were interrupted when a tall girl, or rather a young woman, entered through the programmed doors.

"_Father."_ The girl eloquently sat on one knee, bowing. She was like the man in every way. Pale features, long golden hair, piercing green eyes, and the same red-hot temper.

"_Lily." _Leon greeted in a voice he rarely used, _"How goes the training?"_

"_Fine."_ The young woman answered curtly, still looking down at the floor. _"Your brainless lackeys comment that I pass with flying colors."_ She paused,_ "Judging from their injuries, I'd say eleven of them should be dead now."_ Leon chuckled. Nine months back, she had been sent to Russia to master her fighting skills even further. But the intense training set on the girl wasn't difficult anymore. After all, she'd been trained to hunt and kill without mercy since she was very young.

A true Amazon warrior.

"_As expected of you. Well done."_ The man turned around to face the computers again, smirking. He picked up a glass of water, bringing it to his lips.

"… _I've grown tired of fighting shiftless machines and Harkinian's idiot mercenaries. They're really not that much of a challenge on battle grounds. I want to take something down… more challenging."_

An amused chuckle escaped from Leon. "_What did you have in mind?"_

A brief silence.

"… _I want to fight the VOCALOID."_

The glass in Leon's hand almost smashed into pieces. Cracks settled in the edges, he quickly placed it down. Turning back, he faced the girl with anger evident on his face. She, however, didn't flinch. _"What did you say…?"_

"_That girl, the project, the VOCALOID. I want to take her down."_ Lily repeated, her voice calm. _"You know I'm ready for this, father. I'm the best fighter you've raised, better than any other machine or spineless rat that's been in this company. I've been training this for years and-"_

"_You will not, I repeat __**not**__ request such a thing ever again." _The scientist answered angrily, his green eyes blazing with rage. Lily felt her own fists clenching in defiance, she stood up.

"_Why the hell not?"_ Lily shouted, losing the last of her patience._ "I'm not a little girl anymore! I'm nineteen! You've sent me to eliminate those who've threatened you since I was nine! You've trained our family to hunt and kill our enemies without mercy! Let me fight for damn's sake!"_ It was until her father had snapped, he strode across the room and slapped her clear across the face. A cry of pain escaped from the woman, she stumbled back a few steps. She stared at the man in shock and cupped the left side of her throbbing cheek.

"_Don't you dare talk back to me in that tone of yours, girl."_ Leon growled, _"It was me who kept you under my wing. I'm the one who's been training you to how to fight and defend yourself and your honor, the one who's built the Takashi leadership inside you. And don't forget who's feeding that disrespectful mouth of yours, you're not even my child."_ Lily flinched at the last sentence, her cold exterior faltering. _"You and your petty fighting skills are __**nothing **__compared to my real daughter can do. She could vanquish you within a second if she were present at the moment."_ He turned to face the giant screen with a gentle gaze, reaching out to touch the project's frozen face with shaking fingers. _"She is my life's work, my only heart, the most powerful manmade creation ever made being. Not even Miriam could've loved her the way I could. She called our own daughter a 'monster'… but she is perfection itself."_ He whispered in a soft, almost broken voice. He turned back to her, the gentle look in his eyes long gone.

_"You've yet to fight my daughter. I will tell you this however, she is **far** more powerful than you will ever be. So let's just allow Miki to take her home instead, after all, both girls should handle each other fairly-"_ Leon stopped, noticing her gaze becoming hard with contempt. Deciding his lecture was over, he walked towards the door with his long, loose ponytail swishing back and forth. Before he stepped out, however, he turned to look at her one more time. _"In fifteen minutes, I want you in the combat room with Harkinian. He tells me your takedown moves need improvement."_ With that, he exited out.

Lily, however, continued to stand there, rage building up inside her. With gritted teeth, she looked down at the glass of water her 'father' had been drinking, picking it up. She stared at the cracks, the words of the man echoing over and over again in her head like a broken record, her fists twitched violently. Then, with a furious cry, she flung the glass at the giant screen. Shards of glass flew as she stared at the other girl's face.

All her life, that girl had always been the favorite. She _always_ had to come before her in their father's eyes. She _always_ got the best of everything. Even now, when she'd run off to impersonate a normal life, their father still favored her.

All he ever cared about was _her_.

The young woman glared with green hate-filled eyes at the screen, water spread in the place of the project's face. Good, she thought to herself bitterly, that had to ruin some of her perfection. _"Miki won't take your life, she can't. She's just a crazy psychopath who'd destroy anything available in her path, and that's her weakness."_ She spoke to the frozen girl, glaring, _"But when the times comes, I'll be the one to hunt you down. I'll find you. No one's forgotten about what you did, especially that other annoying brat…"_ A memory of a quiet, teal-haired little boy came to mind, making her eyes narrow. She continued looking up at the screen with a deep scowl on her face.

_"I'll never forgive you, Project Rin. I'll find you, and I'll make sure you'll suffer the most painful torture unimaginable. And after I do that…"_ Lily's iron-covered fists began to curl and she looked at the pair of blue eyes staring back at her.

The young woman didn't say anything else, but neither did she feel the need to. There were no words needed, the truth was already placed.

Yes…

She would be the one to kill the VOCALOID

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_**A/N:** OMGOMGOGMG I'M DONE! XD XD XD_

Review, please! Try signing in with a review as an anonymous reviewer, m'kay? THIS CHAPTER TOOK AEONS TO COMPLETE! T-T Thank you, everyone! (Fanarts are still open!)

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	15. Adolescence

**A/N:** There's been a lot of tension during these last few chapters, huh? Yes, I realize most of you have been _dying _for some lovey-doveyness, you guys are all such sick romantics. **(Just kidding! XD XD)**. But yeah, I guess I have to agree… there needs to be fluffiness~~. (I admit I'm a sick, hopeless romantic too~!)

And yes, the chapter title is _exactly_ what you're thinking. It's the turning point of innocence, to where no one can think straight anymore… and it's all thanks to Teto-chan. Basically though, it's the part where the relationship between Rin and Len takes on a whole new level. I'm sorry to say Mikuo-kun won't be appearing in this chapter, though he would've made things worse. **XD**

**(I totally wrote this out while listening to '**_**Spice!'**_** and **_**'Adolescence'**_**. I've become a pervert. T-T)**

Anyway, I'm glad to see people really adore Teto-chan, she really provides the comic relief in the story. Maybe I should give her more attention…?

_**Warning: **_This page contains **sexual themes**, **swearing, **and **mild violence**. (Be warned if you can't handle the rising heat, click on the 'Back' icon NOW.)

**Bold: **Stands for Teto's awesome plan, television reference, internet reading, soap operas, and singing.

_Italics: _Stands for insane screaming, specific words, German, trance-like dreams/flashbacks, etc.

MWAH HAHAHA! IT WAS SO FUN TO TORTURE LEN IN HERE! **XD XD XD **

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**Rin's POV**

I opened my eyes in the darkness, unable to sleep. That was because I was truly terrified of having those terrible dreams again.

Or rather... _nightmare_.

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a mysterious figure and a pair of ruby-red eyes watching me from the window. With a petrified gasp, I shot up from the bed. But the second time I looked, _it_ had disappeared.

How odd, I thought to myself with a frown.

My gaze shifted sideways to a little machine resting on my desk, quiet and sound asleep: Gachapoid. He too, was asleep along with rest of the house members. And now, he too, held an unwavering grudge against me.

Because of what happened just yesterday.

"_What you did is very unacceptable; it isn't allowed in this household. Now look up and face us." I forced myself to look at all the people I hurt in this very room. Nami and Mr. Dell were looking at me with sad, disappointed gazes._

"_We're very disappointed in you, Rin-chan." Nami said as she shook her head. "I just… can't believe you'd do something like this." __They might as well have been shouting at me. I wanted them to. I couldn't bear this anymore, hearing them talk so softly and yet with so much pain in their voices._

"_You've been suspended for the this month and the next. You're not allowed on school grounds. Understand?" Tears threatened to well up in my burning eyes, but I managed to hold them back. Instead, I swallowed and nodded._

_Kaito stood away far from me, anger evident in his burning gaze, his fists clenching and unclenching. On the other side of the room, Len was sitting on a chair, looking away from me so I couldn't see his face. A sinking feeling built up inside my chest, I hated it._

_Look what I've done…_

_That was when Kaito finally snapped and slammed a fist against the wall._

_"GODDAMMIT RIN! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING AT THE TIME?" I winced at the harsh outburst, shivering slightly. He turned to glare at me once more, his face contorted in fury. "You! You almost killed Luka, and she's hurt now!_"

"_I… I-" I managed to say weakly, only to be cut off._

"_SERIOUSLY WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? ARE YOU FUCKIN' STUPID OR SOMETHING? IT'S 'CAUSE YOU'RE MESSED UP, ISN'T IT? YOU'RE NOTHING LIKE US!" My eyes widened in horror at what he just said._

"_That's enough now." Mr. Dell said sternly to Kaito, but he continued._

"_YOU'RE THAT DAMN VOCALOID OR WHATEVER DAD CALLS IT! NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU, HUH?"_

"_Kaito-kun, please-"_

_Tears began swelling up in my eyes again. Pain twisted my insides, making me cringe. I lowered my head and covered my ears with both hands, trying to block out the sound._

_Anger, disgust, recoiling bitterness. It was all there, in Kaito's voice…_

_He __**hates**__ me._

"_I'm sorry…" Was all I could manage to say, but no one heard. The tears were finally beginning to fall, it went unnoticed._

"_Kaito. I said enough is enough." Mr. Dell's voice started to rise._

"_YOU'RE NOTHING PEOPLE EXPECT NOW! FAR FROM IT! YOU'RE NOT FUCKING INNOCENT AT ALL!" I saw Len quietly get to his feet. "YOU'RE A FREA-"_

_BAM!_

_Len's fist immediately came in contact with the side of Kaito's face, he stumbled back, caught off-guard. Len drew his face back, growling. A dark, extremely furious look contorted his face. "Don't you __**dare** __talk about Rin like that," He snarled, "or I'll crack your head open!" I gasped, looking at them both in horror._

"_N-No…"_

_Kaito scoffed, wiping the side of his bleeding lip. "Acting all cool in front of her now? Che, you're such a kid. When you gonna learn to grow up?" Len's expression darkened even further._

"_Don't try me, Kaito." Len said in a low voice._

_An agitated smirk formed Kaito's face. "Ooooh! Shota's getting mad! How scary!" He taunted, raising his fists. "Come on then; I've been so pissed lately! Give it all you've got, brat!" Len sent him a murderous look, one that was out for blood._

_"Bastard!" Len charged forward. My eyes shot open in horror. Nami and Mr. Dell were already on their feet, rushing to stop their fight._

_No…! They couldn't! No! Not to each other!_

_This was all my…!_

"_NO!" Before anyone could blink, I ran straight to Len and grasped his shirt. Everyone stopped, turning their attention towards me. "P-Please," I gasped, the tears I held back for so long coursed down my cheeks. I looked up to meet Len's kind eyes as my hands clung to the cloth. "Don't hurt…!" I begged in a weak voice. My knees wobbled, making me abruptly slump to the floor. I continued to plead, however, the pain inside me intensified and sobs began to rack my entire body._

"_Please! Please don't…" I gasped in-between breaths. "No more! No more fighting! Please…" My head suddenly dropped and uncontrollable sobs overtook me. I felt so ashamed, making myself look so pitiful and weak._

"_Rin…" I heard Len's voice soften. A gentle hand placed itself on my head, stroking my hair. "Okay, Rin. We won't fight anymore." I found comfort in his touch, making me wish for more._

_Len… he was being kind to me as always. Always so gentle, always so soft. But…_

_It was only because he __**pitied**__ me._

_Me, a monster._

_Len would rather have someone beautiful and strong…_

_That was Miku._

_A bitterness exploded in my mouth as I pictured them together. I shook my head furiously, removing Len's hand from my head. "Rin?" Came his startled reply. Ignoring everyone else's stares, I stood up and bolted out of the room. "Wha-! Rin!" I retreated up the stairs._

"_Let her go, Len-kun. I think she wants to be left alone right now."_

"_But…"_

_I halted halfway, staying to hear the rest of the conversation._

_"That girl…" I heard Kaito grumble. "I don't get why we're still keeping her here in the first place! She's still an outsider! Cyborg or whatever the hell she is! All she ever does is cause trouble!" Sadness and hurt seized me once more, making me quiver at his hate-filled words._

"_Kaito-kun… you don't mean that."_

"_Shut up, Kaito." Len said coldly. "Still can't control what comes out of that mouth of yours, huh? You're not in the right place to talk after all."_

_A vicious growl. "Brat! I ought to beat you to a pulp-!"_

"_Kaito. That's enough." Mr. Dell said firmly. "Rin may have caused some trouble, but she doesn't know any better. She's still a child." Kaito grunted loud enough for everyone to hear._

"_Dad! What kind of 'child' would attempt murder on one of her own friends? Explain that to me!"_

_I felt my eyes beginning to sting again._

_I couldn't bear hearing another word. I rose to my feet and sprinted all the way to my room, closing the door behind me and springing under the bed covers. I knew Gacha was there, staring at me with sad eyes. I had seen him on my desk when I ran inside, but I was too ashamed to meet his gaze._

_For the rest of that day, I silently cried myself to sleep._

Looking back at my empty bed, I knew I was tired. I didn't want to sleep here though, knowing I would dream of strange, monstrous nightmares.

It was always scary to sleep alone. Then I remembered how I sometimes used to sleep with Len, months ago. I didn't like being separated from him the first nights I lived here, especially during thunderstorms. His bed was big, soft and warm. I sighed in contentment as I recalled those times. How I loved cuddling up against his warm, protective body (though at first, he seemed embarrassed of this) while my affections for him grew.

Without thinking, I stepped out into the dark hallway and began walking. I knew where I was headed, despite my rights. I didn't deserve to bask in someone's kind warmth. Not anymore. But I couldn't bear the thought of sleeping alone. Not tonight.

My fingers restlessly clutched at the hem of the white nightgown I wore, shivering slightly. I stopped in front of the door to Len's room.

_Ba-thump, ba-bump, ba-thump…_

I drew in breath, trying to calm my nerves. I grasped the doorknob with both hands and turned it sideways. As quietly as possible, I stepped inside. I took a few steps and spun in a full circle, the skirt of my nightgown flowed around me in an elegant motion. I allowed myself to grasp everything in sight.

As always, the comfortable-sized room remained neat and well-kept. Pictures, trophies, and flags hung all over the desks and yellow-printed walls. The wide window on the far end of the corner stood, revealing the starry night sky. But looking around once more, I noticed a few changes. There were green rugs scattered across the black carpet and a floor lamp had been added.

My eyes then fell on the bed. Len was there with his half-naked body sprawled out and his hair loose, scattered across the checkered pillows. A serious, masculine expression carved his sleeping face. I stared at him for a while before walking over.

"Nnn…" Len murmured, tossing in his sleep. I tilted my head in curiosity. What could he be dreaming about, I wonder. "Banana…"

Banana?

He was dreaming of fruit?

How odd, I thought to myself. But it warmed me up, somehow… hearing him say something so strange. I sat down beside him. He looked so calm and peaceful when asleep… it was such a pretty sight. I soon found myself wishing I could gaze at him forever like that.

"Rin…" Len murmured. "Rin…" I stared at him in total bewilderment. His eyes were still closed. He was still asleep, and yet, he was saying my name over and over again.

He was dreaming of me…?

_Ba-thump!_

The strange object inside me throbbed, making me clutch at my chest. I began to shiver despite the heat swelling inside me. "Rin…" Len murmured again, making me dazed. Oddly enough, I began to smile.

Len…

He looked so warm and peaceful. A need to cling to him overwhelmed me and it soon turned into desire. Knowing I'd be secure having his body against mine, I willingly drew near to him, letting myself slide under his covers and resting my head against his bare back.

"Len…" I whispered softly; a tingly sensation awoke my nerves. That was when he stiffened and unconsciously threw himself around, immediately wrapping his arms around me and bringing me close to his bare chest. My face warmed.

_Ba-thump, ba-bump, ba-thump, ba-bump!_

The thing inside my chest began to throb faster, its once steady rhythm accelerating. An odd bliss filled me up as Len held me closer against him, as if he needed me, even in his sleep. I enjoyed it, I knew.

But what was this strange, desirable feeling?

I've never experienced anything like this before.

"Rin…" Len sighed in his dreams, securing my body in his lean arms. My eyelids began to droop and a smile formed on my lips. I rested both arms against the warm skin of his chest, sighing contently. I wanted to stay like this forever, having Len, the only one who's accepted me all this time, hold me like this and with no one here to take him away.

If only I could cease time…

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 15**

_**Adolescence**_

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**Len's POV**

I slowly began to stir when the birds' chirping erupted from outside. My eyes peeled open halfway, being momentarily blinded from the sunlight pouring into room. With a groan, I tried to awaken my senses. I remembered the argument from yesterday; the argument which almost broke into a fight between me and Kaito if it hadn't been for Rin.

I sighed, thinking of her.

Now I knew she obviously hadn't meant to hurt Megurine. I'd seen it in her eyes; the guilt and pain. And when she had to endure Kaito's verbal outburst, that was when I couldn't stand the sight of her suffering anymore. She was still someone sweet and self-conscious of her actions.

Still, I thought to myself with another sigh. What could've possibly made Rin attack Megurine like that? If it couldn't have been Rin's own doing, then what-… my train of thoughts came to and end when I realized how warm I felt, like really warm. To my surprise, something that felt like a smooth thigh snaked around my own thighs.

A familiar scent filled my nose, it smelled like… oranges and cream. I opened my eyes fully to reveal the jaw-dropping scene which lay before- or rather, _right beside me_.

Rin was there, laying with her hands curled and sound fast asleep. For a moment, I was shell-shocked. But then I realized her thigh was positioned almost directly over my crotch… "WHA-!" My jaw dropped open in mortification. My face heated up at a dangerous level to the point where I saw red.

I swung my body in flimsy, desperate efforts to slide away, only to cause us both to get entangled in the sheets and topple off the bed. "Gah- _oof_!" She fell on top of my chest, having me to be the one to cushion our fall. "Oww…" I groaned, my muscles ached and throbbed in pain.

That was when Rin suddenly lifted her head off my chest, yawning. "Nnn...?" She blinked at me sleepily, looking half-asleep. "Len…?" As I was about to answer, I suddenly realized our position had gotten much worse.

Rin was right on top of me.

I sucked in a nervous breath seeing her legs spread out over my lower abdomen, having that short skirt ride dangerously up her thighs. The spaghetti strap of her lacy, white top had fallen off her shoulder in an increasingly enticing way. But the worst thing was she _sighed_.

Gulping, I looked up at her, only to regret my actions. She looked at me, hair falling around her face and spilling down her shoulders, and I looked at her. The haziness in her eyes egged me on, an immense of heat rushed through me, up and down. Oh crap, my eyes widened in horror and reckless anticipation when I felt a certain _area_ harden beside my jugular. "Rin…" Was all I managed to choke out.

"Len…" Rin murmured hazily, rocking back and forth. She was unable to balance herself and slumped forward, her hands sliding on top of my naked arms. Her face hovered directly over mine, so close that her warm breath tickled my nose. "Your face is so red… why?" Damn hormones… I gritted my teeth painfully, trying to restrain myself from running my hands all over her baby soft-looking skin.

The door slammed open.

"Rise and shine!" Akaito shouted as he burst in, Ted and Kaito followed in after him. "Hey, Len. Since we're on school break, do you wanna_**- **__OH JESUS CHRIST_!" I froze in horror, feeling like a trapped prey. The guys were now backed up against the door, gaping at the sight of our rather… _awkward_ position.

Silence.

A few seconds later, Akaito whistled. "Damn. Wish I had that kind of setup." Blood rushed to my head, blinding my vision. I grit my teeth, and that was when I snapped.

"ALL OF YOU GET THE HELL OUT!"

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"Well, you didn't have to barrel us down the stairs. We would've gotten out sooner." Akaito said, rubbing the small bump that formed on his head. Ted sat beside him with similar bruises. Both were eating pop-tarts.

"You should've knocked first." I grumbled sourly while glaring at all of them. I shoveled another spoonful of cornflakes in my mouth. Rin was showering upstairs. Kaito was talking on the phone with one of his classmates.

"You're nice." Ted grumbled sarcastically. "Where's Nami and Dell?"

"At work." I replied before raising an eyebrow. "Why'd you two come over so early? It's only seven.

"We'll tell you about that later, but the real question is…" Akaito flashed me a sly grin, "What exactly were you doing with Rin-chan on top of you like that?" I choked on my spoon, coughing and gagging erratically. After recovering, I looked at those two like they had gone crazy.

"_What?" _I gasped, blushing. "Y-You guys can't be serious! I-I-I already said it wasn't what it looked like!" They began to snicker.

"Pffft…" Akaito snorted, "Riiiight. Like we're gonna believe any of that. C'mon, first you work all the girls in our grade, and now you gotta be the one to manhandle your own sister? Cut us underlings some slack!" Their snickers turned into full-blown laughter.

"I-I do not _work_! That's not how it is, and it's not like that between us!" I pratically screamed, my face flushed hot with humiliation. "D-Dammit, Ted! Akaito! Stop laughing already!" And just like that, they finally stopped and grinned at me.

"Jeez, Len. Calm down." Ted snorted, trying not to smile. "It's not like we didn't believe you from the start." I stared at them.

"What? Y-You didn't- I mean… you did?"

"Uh, _yeah_." Akaito rolled his eyes with a scoff, though the grin on his face ruined the effect. He looked at me knowingly, "Me and Ted know you're not that kind of guy. You're cool." Ted nodded in agreement, leaning over and giving my shoulder a rough pat.

"Cool."

"You guys…" Joy swept over me. I heaved a sigh in relief. "Thanks so much. You don't know how much that means to me."

Ted cracked a grin. "Well, it was fun seeing how you reacted… you make the funniest faces when you're angry." Akaito grinned as well. I rolled my eyes with a smile of my own.

"Oh. Well, sorry I have such a boring personality."

We all laughed. Akaito began talking, but I found myself unable to listen. The accident kept replaying in my head, and I couldn't get that image of Rin off my mind.

All of a sudden, my body grew hot. I could still feel her warm fingers running all over my chest. I licked my lips and thought about how smooth her thighs looked and how tempting she looked when her straps began to slide off. And when she breathed out my name…

"_Len…"_

"You're drooling, Len." I snapped out of my daze and found that Ted was right, quickly wiping my mouth. Akaito was grinning at me strangely.

"What wass up with that look?"

"What look?" I asked, trying to act confused. Akaito scoffed.

"Don't act like you don't know! You were having dirty thoughts just now!"

"W-Wha-? That's ridiculous! I was only-!"

_Ding dong…_

The doorbell rang, which was soon followed after with a fist banging on the door.

I breathed a sigh in relief and stood up from the table, thankful for the distraction. "I'll get it." I ran to the main doors and swung them open, surprised. "Meiko-nee and… Megurine-san?" They smiled at me.

"Good day, Kagamine-kun." Megurine giggled and bowed.

"Whoa. Looks like you just got out of bed." Meiko said, her face breaking into a grin. She reached over and tussled my hair. "So, you gonna let us in or what?"

I smiled uneasily and stepped aside for them. "Uh, sure! Come on in!"

What were they doing here?

Ted and Akaito came running over. "Woo! Meiko-senpai and Megurine are here!" Akaito cheered, getting both girls to smile at him. He turned around to shout, "Hey, Kaito! Your girlfriend's here!" Reddening, Meiko immediately punched him in the gut.

"I told you already we're not like that!"

"Who?" Kaito stepped out, rubbing his head. When he took notice of Meiko, his eyes widened. "Meiko? What the hell are you doing here?" She narrowed and crossed her arms in an indulgent manner.

"It's great to see you too. Anyway, is Nami home?"

"No," Kaito answered slowly, "She's at work. Dad too."

"Splendid," Meiko grinned. "Just as I figured." She brushed past us with Megurine following behind.

"Wow! So you live in a mansion!" Megurine exclaimed in awe as we entered the living room. "I've never been inside one before!" She pouted at me, "I've always wanted to have a place like this. Somewhere so nice and quiet… I'm jealous now." I forced a laugh. This is so awkward having everyone (including Megurine) at our house. After what happened yesterday, I imagined they'd all stay away from us because of Rin.

So what was going on? And why were they all here?

Looking over at Kaito, I realized I wasn't the only one having insecurities about all this.

"HEY SO GUESS WHAT?" Akaito suddenly shouted, startling all of us. A look of excitement crossed his face with bloodshot eyes gleaming in anticipation. He paused, glancing over at Meiko sheepishly. "Uh, can I tell them now?"

Meiko shrugged. "Fire away."

"YAAAAY!" The childish red-head cheered and bumped fists with Ted before clearing his throat in a now business-like manner. "Right, so, um… there's this new amusement park that just opened today! Our soccer team says it's really awesome!" He thrust a flashy flyer in our faces, momentarily blinding us with its colors. An annoyed Kaito snatched it from him and looked it over. "You know where those old buildings used to be? Near the mall? Well, it turns out that's where the theme park is, it's built right next to the beach!" Wow. That sounds cool. "And I hear it's _huge_! Like super gigantic! The size of Tokyo!"

I rose an eyebrow. "The size of Tokyo?"

"He's exaggerating." Ted answered, looking bored.

Akaito waved him off rudely. "Details, details, no one gives a damn! It's big, fun, and environmentally harmful! The perfect place to go on school breaks!" he said excitedly, "There are rides, food courts, mini-booths... hell, there's even a Ferris wheel! Me, Ted, Megurine, and Meiko here dropped by to pick you ladies up." Kaito sent him a funny look.

"At seven in the _morning_?"

"Like I said, it's big. And that includes a big population during the afternoon."

I took the paper and looked at its bold, red-printed contents.

"Admission: $15 per adult… $10 per child under twelve."

Kaito frowned and shook his head. "No one told us about this before. There wasn't any plans for this. Sorry, but we can't go."

That was weird. Normally, Kaito would jump at an offer like that, but considering the circumstances, it did make sense. All of them blinked and exchanged looks. Ted suddenly spoke up in a calm and deliberate manner.

"Then we're stealing Rin."

Me and Kaito gaped at Ted, our eyes bulging.

"WHAT?"

"Oh yeah!" Akaito cheered, slapping other red-head on the back. "Nice save there, Ted-chama! I'm proud to call you my partner-in-crime!"

"Don't touch me."

"But that's right! We didn't drive slash kill ourselves running all the way over here just to have our generous offer turned down!" The first redhead proclaimed, standing on top of the table with a self-righteous pose. "Quick, everyone! We must kidnap Rin-chan!" And everyone, except Meiko, charged up the stars with Akaito sounding the battle cry.

"Wait, Shion-kun! Kasane-kun! Please don't handle Rin-san so roughly!"

"Hey! All of you are overstaying your welcome here!" Kaito yelled after them, obviously pissed. He turned to glare at Meiko. "And you! You planned this, didn't you?" She shrugged guiltily.

"Not the part about Rin being the bait."

"Meiko!"

"Relax. They don't even know where her room is, so it should be fine." I said to Kaito, trying to calm him down.

"That's not the point!" He snapped, still glaring daggers at Meiko. I sighed, dropping my arms in defeat. So much for my attempts at being the peacemaker. "What I'm saying is; how can you think it's alright to just come and drag us somewhere 'fun' after what happened yesterday?" He looked so mad; his face was bright red. I saw the vein throbbing in his forehead. "Are you out of your mind?" Meiko suddenly sighed, nodding.

"Look, I get that you're upset. In fact, I'm still feeling that way myself… but," She looked at him, "this entire thing wasn't my idea. It was Luka's." We looked at her, shocked.

"Megurine-"

"-Planned this? The whole thing?"

Meiko sat down on one of the couches. "Bingo."

"Why would she want to do that?" Kaito demanded, his face returned to its normal state and he sounded less angry. "I mean, Rin's the one who almost-"

"And I thought the same thing as you did." Meiko answered, slouching against the cushions in an unladylike manner. "But when I came to visit her yesterday, the first thing she said to me was, 'Is Rin-san alright?"

My eyes widened. She said that?

"She looked so worried when she asked that, such a sweetheart." she laughed lightly, "That kiddo never ceases to amaze me. And after all these years…"

"So… what did you say?" I asked quietly, looking at my pockets.

"I told her Rin was fine," Meiko said, "then I asked her why she cared so much for her rather than for her own well-being. And you know what her reply was?" We remained silent for her to continue. "She said, 'I could see Rin-san was in very much pain, her eyes looked so sad. She is my friend who I care for very much. I worry for her and I don't wish to see someone so sweet suffer by herself. She's been alone all this time, hasn't she?"

I could almost hear those words. It amazed me.

"I..." Kaito started but stopped. Like me, he was too shocked for words. I suddenly felt very guilty.

"After hearing that, I wondered to myself. 'How could've I ignored this for so long?" Meiko said with a sad sigh. "I may not have known it then, but I certainly should've realized it sooner. None of us have at least tried to understand Rin-chan. Sure, we let her in our group and all, but she's been by herself all this time; she's lost and confused about everything around her even though she tries so hard to overcome it." She shook her head in frustration. "It must be so stressful for her."

It was true… Rin, she'd been by herself all this time, lost and confused. And we, or rather… I, dismissed it as if it weren't important.

As if Rin's feelings didn't matter to me…

I felt my blood run cold at the very thought, my fists clenching.

No! Rin, she…! Everything was important about her! Her face, her eyes, her smile, her laugh... I loved everything about her!

"Everyone, including Ted and Akaito, talked about this earlier. We all came to bring Rin-chan somewhere exciting so she could cheer up and have lots of fun." Meiko's voice cut into my thoughts. She looked at me. "You and Kaito need to be there too so it can make her day even better." Then she looked at Kaito. "Don't you think it's time we focused more on understanding her? That way we can see her smile more?"

We stayed silent with the atmosphere thick with deep thought.

Meiko is right. All of us want to understand Rin on a better level. As for me, I also wanted to be the one to make sure she was happy; I should be able to make her smile and laugh. That should be my job.

"We already talked to Nami about this; she decided it'd be fine to take Rin out for today." Meiko suddenly said. "Luka-chan also wants to talk to Rin-chan about yesterday." We snapped our heads up in alert. She smirked at us. "It's not like she's mad or anything; she says she knew Rin-chan hadn't really meant to hurt her. I think we all know that."

Kaito rubbed the back of his head guiltily.

"Yeah…"

Looks like he felt bad for yelling at Rin yesterday.

"Hey, you guys- GWAH!" We turned to see Akaito who tripped running down the stairs, falling flat on his face. We sighed at his antics.

"We hate to admit this, but…" Ted started with a defeated sigh. "We can't find her room."

I laughed, shaking my head and getting up. "I'll get her." Ted, Megurine, and Akaito (who recently recovered) looked at me in awe.

"You mean you're coming?" Akaito asked with his head raised.

I smiled and stepped over his body. "There's no point in staying in all day. And who knows, it could be fun… Right, Kaito?"

"Yeah." He mumbled.

"How wonderful!" Megurine exclaimed. "Thank you so much!" I laughed and ran all the way towards Rin's room. Today would definitely be the day she would have nothing but fun. Everyone, including me, would make sure of that. She'd smile and laugh all day without having to worry about anything… or anyone.

This was all thanks to Luka, who always put everyone's happiness before her own. I'd have to be more like her. I'd have to get serious this time. My eyes furrowed in determination.

Yes. I'm going to do _everything _to make Rin happy.

I got to Rin's door. But I was so wrapped up in my excitement and inner fire, I completely barged in without knocking or even thinking. "Hey, Rin! Wanna know what we're doing today-…!" My feet froze in their place, my jaw dropped and my face immediately caught on fire.

Oh shit.

With a small gasp, Rin's head spun around and our eyes met. She stood there, braless and in her white underwear. I could've died three times over if it weren't for the fact her body was facing the other way. But still, _so much skin…_

Shit shit **SHIT!**

My body began tearing me apart. My cheeks were on fire, my nose threatening to bleed, my knees wobbling, throat closed up, and my butt won out; I fell to the floor. The door slammed open, revealing a shocked Luka and an angry, overprotective Meiko ready to chop me in two.

"K-Kagamine-kun! How could you-"

"DISGUSTING PERVERT! YOU'RE NO BETTER THAN TETO!"

"N-No! I swear this isn't-!"

**WHAM!**

* * *

"Alright. We're gonna pay Teto a visit!" Meiko announced as she and Luka dragged along a very reluctant (and dressed) Rin. "We'll all meet up at the main entrance in an hour!"

Luka waved at us, smiling cheerfully. "Goodbye, everyone." She turned to Rin, her eyes softening as she took her by the hand, "Shall we go, Rin-san?" Rin nodded meekly and tightened her grip with both hands. She turned and looked at me.

"Goodbye, Len."

There went my face going up in flames again, I smiled nervously. "L-Later, Rin…" The image of her in underwear kept replaying in my head, making me shiver. God, what happened to my dignity? She blushed prettily and smiled back as well before tugging Luka out the door.

"Oh, please wait up!"

"You boys behave!" Meiko called out one more time before running after them. I stared after Rin's running figure, noticing how her hips swayed slightly with each step. It was cute, I thought to myself with a slight grin. Out of the corner of my eye, Kaito was looking at me strangely.

"Hey, uh… Len? Kaito?" We turned to Akaito who was hopping up and down excitedly with a needy look on his face. "Your house is so big that I kind of forgot where the bathroom is." I sighed.

"I know where," Ted volunteered, "I'll show him." He looked at Kaito. "When we get back, can we use the Xbox?" A blue brow twitched slightly in irritation.

"N… fine."

"Really? You'll set it up for us then? Great, thanks!" Akaito laughed, patting our backs as he and Ted rushed past. We stared after them, shocked, annoyed and awed all at the same time. Kaito suddenly scoffed and walked back into the living room. I followed him.

"Damn those two, acting like they own the place. And just 'cause they're guests."

"They never let up." I agreed. We sat out on the floor, setting up the Xbox and flicking on the television. "Which game do you think they wanna play?" I held up a couple of disks. Kaito didn't answer for a moment, then he finally sighed.

"I can't believe I said all those things to Rin like that… yelling and swearing at her. I really am an asshole…" He mumbled to himself. I blinked. This was one of the few times I've ever seen him sulk.

"No. You weren't thinking straight at the time." I said, looking to the side. "It's not like you actually meant what you said. It proves you really care about your friends, like Megurine-san and Rin…" He looked up.

"And Meiko."

"Right."

"But by doing that, I only made things worse. I made Rin cry."

"So apologize."

"What?"

"You wanna make it up to her? Start by apologizing." I told him. He looked at me, slightly gaping. "I-It's not like I'm saying this to make you feel better," I quickly said, looking down in embarrassment, "I just think nothing will get done if you just sit around feeling sorry for yourself! That's why you gotta take the first step!" For a moment, he stared at me, then a slight smile formed his mouth.

"I get it. Thanks, Len."

I blinked, shocked to hear him say those words. But I immediately recovered and nodded. "No problem." A small silence consumed us afterwards.

That is, until Kaito spoke up again.

"By the way," he started, "… what were you and Rin doing last night?"

My eyes widened and my insides began to heat up rapidly. "Uh! W-What are you trying to get at?" I demanded, making him turn around to face me.

"Did you fuck each other?" He got right to the point.

"Y… I don't! No!"

"Oh fine, I see how it is. Keep everything a secret, huh? Don't get ahead of yourself, Shota. You just got lucky, Rin would do anything for you."

"No! NO! We didn't do anything!" I answered heatedly. My arms flailed around in absolute denial. Kaito was looking at me with amusement, like he was enjoying a show.

"Oh, so you two just _happened_ to be lying in that awkward position when we walked in this morning?"

"Exactly." I answered with a glare.

"So there's nothing sexual going on between you and rabbit girl?"

"O-O-Of course not!" I sputtered, feeling my face heat up. "It was an accident! I told you already! Rin's like my baby sis_**-**_"

Kaito cut me off with a snort, bumping me with the controller. "Cut the baby sister crap. I saw that face of yours when her tank was beginning to slide off, you hormone-driven beast, you." I opened my mouth to object, only to be cut off again. "It'll never be like that between brats who aren't related, two teenage brats at that. Face it, you're a guy and she's girl and you both act differently around each other." I stopped, clenching my teeth together in frustration.

He was right, after all…

"In any case…" He took another bite out of his ice cream bar, "You're starting to think of Rin on an totally different level, aren't you?"

"…"

I wanted to tell Kaito he was wrong, that he was talking crazy and I didn't know what on hell he was talking about… I really did.

"… Yo, Len?"

"…"

So, why couldn't I say anything?

* * *

**Meiko's POV**

Looking back from the driver's seat, I could see Rin talking in a very soft, yet frantic voice while Luka consoled her with warm words of kindness. She pulled Rin into an gentle embrace and petted her comfortingly in effort to cut off her hysteric apologies. It was lucky for Rin that Teto didn't know about what happened… she would've been very upset.

"P-Please! I'm so sorry, Luka…! Please forgive me… I-I didn't mean-!"

"Shhh. It's alright now."

"I-I wasn't even myself at the time…! I wasn't the one w-who…" A hiccup escaped from the blonde girl as she clung to Luka, "Please, believe me…"

Luka laughed very softly. "I do, Rin-san. I have my faith in you. I knew it wasn't you…" She answered with a smile, "My trust in you will never fade."

"Luka…"

"I'm here, right by your side. You're not alone… I'll share my tears with you." Luka said, a single silent tear ran down the side of her cheek. She was still smiling, though. "Please… lift your head and look at me." Rin did as she was told, her lip quivering slightly. Luka laughed again, "Stop apologizing already! I forgive it all. I want you to smile now with me, all for this time." She stared at her, eyes watering even more.

"L-… Lu-!" Rin promptly broke down and started crying. She grasped both sleeves of Luka's pink sweater as tears poured onto her lap. I smiled to myself slightly, my heart warming at the sight. They had made up and were better friends than ever. After a few minutes of driving, we arrived at our destination.

"We arrive at our next stop; the Kasane household!" I announced happily, pulling into the driveway. Both girls glanced up and over. "Hm. At times like these, you gotta wonder what that kiddo's up to." I said to Luka, referring to her cousin.

"H-Ha ha. You'd be surprised, actually."

We all got out of my brother's minivan and stepped up to the door, knocking on it twice. Rin hastily wiped the last of her tears away when a woman with short strawberry hair came to greet us.

"Back already, Luka-chan? Oh! How nice, Meiko-chan came to visit!" Teto's mother exclaimed with a pleasant smile, making me grin in reply.

"Hi, Kyoko."

Kyoko Kasane chuckled and nodded. Her gaze fell to Rin. "Oh? And who's this?" Luka nudged Rin forward, making her stumble and bow deeply.

"Auntie, this is Kagamine Rin-san. She's a very dear friend of mine, Teto's as well."

Kyoko gasped and smiled. "Oh! So you're the one these girls have been chatting about! I've heard a lot of good things about you! And my, aren't you a pretty thing?" Rin blushed and stuttered a 'thank-you'. "Pretty _and_ well-mannered! If only Teto could have those qualities!" She shook her head as she invited us in.

"You have a very lovely home." Rin said shyly, looking around.

Kyoko's laughed, "Aw. You're such a doll." She gestured to the brightly-colored hall. "I'm sure my daughter would love to see you all, being in the state she's in. Luka-chan, can you please escort our guests to Teto's room?" Luka nodded. "Thanks a bunch! Now if you don't mind, I have some laundry to do! Make yourselves at home!"

We followed Luka upstairs and into a row of doors. "Teto is still feeling a bit hazy, but her fever's gone down." She said, "She never stops talking, but I'm glad she's back to her usual energetic self." We stopped at the second door. Luka knocked on in twice.

"Come in…" Came the hoarse reply. We did so, stepping in to find a slightly flushed Teto in her bed with the television on. Her eyes lit up when she saw us, but she appeared to have no energy to greet us with flying hugs. "Oh, hey…" She croaked.

"You look like crap." I commented, sitting down on the side of her bed. She rolled her eyes.

"Meanie…"

"Kidding! You look hot!" I exclaimed with a laugh.

Teto smiled weakly. "Haha…" She sat up, her hair messily coming undone and loose down her shoulders. She took notice of Rin. "Oh, Rinnie-boo came to visit too…? Aww…" She swayed slightly. "So, what brings you all here…?"

"Just wanted to drop by and see how you were doing." I said. "How long do have to stay in bed?"

"Doctors says I gotta rest for a few more days… and to drink a lot of fluids while I'm at it…" She mumbled in reply. "It totally sucks I have to be sick on a school break…" I shot her a look of sympathy.

"What is that?" We turned to see a curious-looking Rin pointing at the television. The channel was showing re-runs of the a soap opera. Teto blinked and yawned sleepily, stretching her arms out.

"My favorite show… it's called '_Melt_'. The story revolves around Azumi, a girl who's currently attending high school and is pushed into a love triangle between the Enzou, the guy she's currently dating and Kei, her childhood friend." Interested, Rin and Luka sat down and to watch.

I rolled my eyes. "You'd be the one to watch cliché plots like that."

"Shut up. I'm only watching it 'cause Enzou and Kei are hotties. Azumi can go die in a hole…"

I looked at her, shaking my head. "Just… wow."

Teto shrugged and looked over at her alarm clock. "Anyway, what time is- wooahh… it's seven in the morning?" She gaped back at me. "What in god's name are you people doing here so early?" She asked in a normal voice this time. "If it weren't for my show being on, normal people like me would be sleeping at this hour." I snorted.

"Right. You, of all people have the nerve to call yourself 'normal?"

Teto gasped. "Are you insulting me? That shall not pass!"

"In any case, we have to leave soon. We're all hanging out at the new amusement park that just opened near the mall. Kaito, Len, Akaito, and Ted are gonna be there."

"WHAT? YOU SAID TED! WHAT THE HELL, MEIKO! HOW COULD YOU HANG OUT WITH TED WHEN I'M NOT GONNA BE THERE? YOU JERK! YOU TRAITOR!"

"Teto, please!" Luka spoke up, looking back from the screen. "We're trying to watch!"

"**No! Listen to me, Kei! We can't be doing this! I-I'm in love with Enzou!"**

"**Azumi… do you really mean that? Can you really keep lying to yourself like that?"**

"**W-What! I'm not…!"**

"**I meant what I said, Azumi. I've loved you from the start, ever since we were kids… ever since you showed me kindness when others didn't. I-I've always kept this from myself, but my feelings for you have only grown. I want to do more than protect you now… I… I want to be by your side forever."**

"**K-Kei…"**

Ugh. I watched the kissing scene in pure disgust.

Why, oh _why_ did romances always have to be shown like this? Cliché, boring, and unrealistic to no end! Love wasn't even like that in real life!

"What are those two doing?" Rin asked, pointing at the two kissing characters. She looked back at us, clearly confused. "Are they trying to eat each other?" All of us stared at her.

"T-They're kissing, Rin-san. Don't you know that?"

"Kiss… ing?" Rin tilted her head sideways in confusion. "What's that?" My jaw dropped.

"Are you serious?" I asked, laughing nervously. If she didn't know what kissing was, she probably didn't have a clue about sex.

And we were _so_ not going there.

"Kissing is..." Luka tried to explain, grabbing our attention. "An act of lips pressing together between two people who…" she glanced at the screen with a dreamy sigh, "who care very deeply for each other, who complete each other with a strong, pure bond of strength and happiness. It's done by people who are in love." Rin blinked, then placed a hand over her left cheek in deep thought.

"Then I…" She spoke softly, "I want to try it with Len."

A jaw-dropping silence.

"You… WHAT?"

"?"

All of us gaped at Rin-chan, looking at her like she had blown a ruse. Being the ever-innocent sweetheart, she simply tilted her head sideways in slight bewilderment and answered in that soft, angelic voice of hers.

"I want to try kissing with Len."

"IT'S SETTLED THEN!" Teto abruptly broke in, throwing the sheets off and leaping off her bed. "What we're seeing here is a maiden's mission, girls! It must be carried out! We gotta pitch in and help Rinnie-boo out with her first smooch~! We gotta shove those two cuties together!" Despite her fever, she wobbled towards a large stack of books on the table. "Luckily, I know just how to handle situations like these~."

"B-B-But, Teto!" Luka protested, her face reddening. "Rin-san and Kagamine-kun are rela-!"

"Yes, that's nice, Luka-pants. We'll help you out with your first kiss later on, but right now…!" Teto turned around and flung teen magazines all over the floor, most having to do with boys, fashion and makeup. "First, we're gonna form a plan for some fun with Kagamine-kun~…" A wide grin plastered on her face and her red eyes gleamed with evil intent. "I like to call it… **Operation S.S.S**."

I rose an eyebrow. "S.S.S…?" Her grin widened.

"Sexiness, Sketchiness, and Seduction."

Oh god, what was **wrong **with this child…?

"Rin-san, please explain," Luka said with a slight frown. "What makes you want to kiss with Kagamine-kun so badly? He's… I mean, he's your twin…" Rin blinked, then looked down at her hands shyly.

"But… I like Len a lot." She replied softly, "He has always been so kind to me… and I feel so warm and happy whenever I am around him…" She mumbled. "If those two people kiss each other like that because they are in love and wish to never be apart, I-… I want to be able to do it with Len!" She exclaimed lightly with both hands raised into gentle fists of determination. I blushed, feeling myself warm at the sight.

She was acting serious and grown-up about it. It was _adorable_. Even in the midst of craziness, she could still stand to be so heartbreakingly cute.

"That's reason enough for me!" Teto stated, who was now dressed out in a camouflage top and black shorts added with a frilly pink tutu. Around her waist were two gold chains added with a dark camera bag. Her strawberry hair was tied up in the usual pigtails, atop with a black beret which only added to the flamboyant ensemble. We stared at her.

"And where are _you_ going?"

Teto grinned and picked up the large stack of magazines. "I can't leave this awesome plan by itself in your hands, no offense. So, I'll be coming along and make sure it gets carried out~! Plus! I wanna see Ted-kun!" She peeked out the door. "My mom isn't gonna be checking up on me anytime soon, right…?" I shook my head.

"No. She's doing chores."

"Awesome!" Teto cheered in her usual bold manner, pumping a fist. She grabbed Rin and pulled her out the door. "Right then, I'll explain my plan… in the car!"

"Hey! Wait!"

"God, you two are so slow! Run faster or mom'll catch me!"

* * *

So here we were, driving on highway forty-seven to operate Teto's so-called 'plan'. I groaned, suppressing the need to bang my head against the steering wheel.

How the fuck did she manage to drag me into this?

"Right then! Let's get down to business!" Teto sat up from the driver's seat, trying to look focused. "This notebook will keep track of my awesome plan right here!" She held out a large notebook for everyone to see. Messy, sprawled-out handwriting was scribbled across the pages.

"You even wrote out steps?" I rose an eyebrow, "That fever of yours must be getting to you…"

"Phase One:** Sexiness**!" Teto cheered, ignoring me and grinning at Rin. "Listen here, Rinnie-boo. If you wanna lay a smooch on Len, you're gonna have to do _exactly _as I say. Capiche?" Rin nodded eagerly. "Good! We'll get you started on how guys think in the age of puberty. Boys like physical tokens of affection: kissing, caressing, and so on…"

"Am I the only one who's concerned about them being related?" Luka asked me from the shotgun seat. I shrugged in reply.

"… First off, make sure you're giving lots of attention to Len right now. Cuddle with him and show lots of affection. And for heaven's sake, don't forget to use body language~! That's what we're going for here! Guys go crazy for that!" Teto said intensely, coaching her. "This is the first step we're gonna take so far. Be calm, and keep yourself at a cool pace. Me, Luka-pants, and Meiko, we'll be here to guide you step-by-step."

Rin nodded fervently, obviously trapped in Teto's fiery aspiration. "Yes! I will do my very best!"

The red-haired girl grinned, pulling into one of the shopping bags she'd been carrying through entire ride. "Good." She turned to us. "There are three different phases in Operation S.S.S., it's named after the three initials. Phase one: **Sexiness**. Phase two: **Sketchiness**. Phase three, the most deadly stage… _**Seduction**_."

"Okay, _why_ did you just announce the last part in a weird, overly dramatic tone?"

Teto ignored me. She pulled out a set of clothes and handed them to Rin. "This is from the cosplay shop I work at, be sure to give it back to me when this is over." she said, "Change into it, you'll look sooo cute. So rape-able~."

"Rape… able?"

"Positively _molest-able_."

"… Ah, I see."

"Oh, hey! Meiko! There's another outfit in here too! It's just your size~! I bet you can look sexy for Kait-"

"Shut. _up_."

* * *

"Are you quite certain this is how Len wants me to look like…?"

"Of course! It's perfect!"

Luka and I stepped out of the car and out onto the parking lot. We both turned to see what Rin looked like, our jaws dropping open in shock in the process.

"EH?"

"TETO! WHAT IN GOD'S NAME HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?"

Rin wore a low-cut orange top which was cut up in all different directions, not to mention it showed a _little_ too much cleavage for my taste. Her frilly miniskirt was, well… _mini_. It just barely went past her butt.

Whoa! Is she supposed to be some anime girl from a dating game or what?

"Get a grip. It's not _that_ bad." Teto said whilst rolling her eyes, "C'mon, doesn't she look cute and irresistible like I said she would? Admit it." I grit my teeth in response. Despite the fact Teto was exposing Rin on a dangerous level… I had to admit, she _did_ know how to cheat.

Rin's legs were safely covered with striped thigh-high socks (added with a pair of stylish white boots). She was also topped with woolly white arm-warmers jingling with bells and the end. And her golden hair was curled and held back by her usual white ribbon. She… looked very much like perfect doll, right to the point where she looked, dare I say it, _loli_.

Two teenage boys began to walk past us until they saw Rin's outfit, their own jaws dropping. "Whoa…" The first one said. Then, the other one smirked and decided to make a move on her.

"Hey, cutie. Wanna go somewhere fun?" he asked, waggling a brow suggestively.

The first one who talked grinned and leaned close and began to stroke her chin. "Yeah, yeah. We promise we can show you a real good time…" Being the watchful, overprotective friend I happened to be, those two snakes found themselves punched to the ground with me standing over them. I glared down at them menacingly, popping my knuckles for the added effect.

"You fuckers are willing enough to try and bring one of my friends down your block on a nice day like this? I see how it is then." Their faces paled with grief-stricken horror, they started scooting away with nervous gulps. I aggressively cocked my head while grinning sardonically at them. "Sorry. But I'm seriously not in the mood to deal with sorry-ass bitches at the moment. Now, I suggest you better run along now…" I glared at them and gave them my best terrifying snarl, "Or_ else_."

Gulping, they shakily stood up and scrambled off in the other direction, tails between their legs.

"That was awesome, Meiko-chama! You scared 'em off good!" Teto feverishly cheered beside me as we began walking towards the big entrance. "Haha~. I mean, for a moment there, I thought that one guy was gonna wet himself!" I scoffed in annoyance. I swear I love Teto. She's a great kid and all, but she seriously needed to shut up sometimes.

"Quiet." I said as we lined up for tickets. "just what makes you think this is a good idea? Dressing Rin up like a cosplay lolicon? You trying to get her kidnapped and pounced on by womanizers?"

"Uh, _no_. Not quite." The red-haired girl said whilst rolling her eyes. "Actually, kind of. But there's no need to put it in such _adult_ terms. We want to 'preserve' Rin's innocence." She said with air quotes, "Besides, there's no need to have guys crawling over her body, we're only asking for one here." She grinned and looked at Rin. "And that's Len. We're gonna make sure that Rin blows his mind off, or rather- his _pants_."

"Please. You can't be serious." Luka groaned, bringing a hand over her forehead in sheer humiliation for whatever was going to come. "You just can't be."

"Oh, but I am, dear cousin. I am."

I sighed in defeat. There was no point in arguing with Teto, once she put her mind to a plan, it was simply impossible to get in her way. I sighed again and crossed my arms. "Fine. What's gonna happen first?"

Forgive me, Len. But even I have no power over Teto's will.

"Ooooh, I'm so excited! Inces- no, twincest is sooo cute! This will be a perfect topic for my next blog entry~! And even my friends are helping on it~!" Teto exclaimed, her already flushed cheeks reddening even more. "Okay!" she suddenly said, her eyes alit with determination. "First thing's first, Rin! You will have to tease Kagamine-kun a bit! That means cuddling and flirting, that way, it's a win-win for all~!" I sighed, nodding.

"Go on."

"Okay, so! Here's how it's gonna work out…"she whispered out the first 'phase' we were gonna do, Luka and I (sharing exhausted looks from time to time) were scheduled to coach Rin at different hours, tracking the escalation between the relationship's movements. "Meiko!" She pointed to me, making me raise a brow. "For the next hour-and-a-half, you're gonna be the one to make sure phase one goes smoothly!"

"Urgh… fine."

"Love your enthusiasm!" Teto squealed, taking out her trusty multi-pixel camcorder. She turned to Rin with a grin, pointing the recorder towards her. "Be excited for this, Rin! This is the day, time, and place your romance will heat up~!"

"Y-Yes!"

"There's only thing I know for sure." I muttered, making Luka glance over. "Today, this plan, everything. It's all gonna be one hell of a ride." So sorry, Len.

* * *

**Len's POV**

"They're late." Kaito said.

"Well, they _are_ girls." Akaito spoke up, "I hear it takes ages for them to get ready." I sighed, checking my wristwatch. Rin, Meiko, and Megurine… they were twenty minutes late. We were all waiting right by the large map on display. I sighed again. My thoughts were sliding back towards Rin… and Kaito's words.

"_Cut the baby sister crap. I saw that face of yours when her tank was beginning to slide off, you hormone-driven beast, you." _

I looked down at the floor, silently thinking.

"_It'll never be like that between brats who aren't related, two teenage brats at that. Face it, you're a guy and she's a girl and you both act differently around each other."_

Rin and I, we were just…

"_In any case…"_ I glanced to the side, watching two laughing kids run around and chase each other. _"You're starting to think of Rin on an totally different level, aren't you?"_

But could Kaito be right?

Was I really starting to think about Rin differently?

"Yo! Hi, boys!" A familiar voice interrupted my trance. All of us turned around to see Meiko, Megurine, Kasane, and Ri- WHOA.

My jaw dropped open and my nose threatened to bleed. And it didn't look like I wasn't the only one gaping. Akaito, Ted, and Kaito looked shell-shocked as well, all of them blushing furiously at the new sight of Rin. Kaito was the first one to recover.

"You're late!" He directed his attention towards Meiko with a slight scowl. "What took you so long? We've been waiting for centuries!" She rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh, man up for god's sake. Traffic held us up."

"My ass! You were probably too busy making rabbit girl look like _that_ to remember us guys here!"

"KYAAAH! Ted-kuuun~!" Kasane squealed, flinging her arms around Ted.

"Don't crush him like that, Teto!"

I continued to gape at Rin, blushing and totally oblivious to what was going on in the background. Rin stepped up to me shyly. "You... did not wait long for us, did you?" she asked softly, tracing a line with the end of her foot back and forth.

I snapped out of my trance and shook my head furiously. "N-No, no! Not at all!" I laughed nervously, trying to shake _those_ thoughts out of my head. "N-No… I see y-you changed your clothes." Her eyes widened slightly in concern.

"Is it too much?"

"NO!" I blurted out, surprising the both of us. "Y-You look really, really good! I mean it! You do! Y-You're really… cute!" Ugh, I was stuttering. I really needed to work on that problem. Rin blinked, then looked down with a smile.

"Thank you."

"ALRIGHT THEN~!" Kasane suddenly shouted, making all of us jump. She looked over at us, her cheeks oddly flushed and her balance slightly off. "Never fear, everyone! Teto has arrived!" She cheered, taking out a camcorder and flashing it in our direction, "Now that we're here, let's find some fun! Where should we start?" I suddenly realized something.

"Wait… aren't you sick, Kasane-san?" I asked in concern. "I thought you still had a fever…?" Kasane seemed to flinch before she exploded into loud laughter.

"HAHA~! Y-You're so funny, Kagamine-kun! YOU CRACK ME UP! HAHAHA~!" she cleared her throat. "Well, I'm just here to have some fun! Staying in bed all day wouldn't be worth my time! Besdies, I'm feeling a lot better anyway!" Then she smiled, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "In this case, while I'm here… LET'S RIDE THAT ONE FIRST!" She pointed to the Freefall, the coaster with sharp turns and drops.

* * *

"I dare you to ride it, Luka-pants!"

"E-E-Eh? N-No way! I could never! Why don't _you_ ride it if you think it's so fun?"

"Because, I have to record everything that happens today! This is important! Just think of this as a a live video our greatest break in high school! Plus, I'm still sick and I don't wanna puke on anyone."

"Mei-chan, let's ride it together." Kaito nudged the brunette as they got in line. "Unless you're too scared." She scowled at him and crossed her arms.

"Of course not!"

"Really? Okay. Whoever screams first is the loser~."

"You're on!"

I gulped as I watched one of the long carts zoom past, filled with screaming people. I never did like roller coasters…

"Please, Tet-AH!" That was when Rin was suddenly pushed against me, making me blink in surprise. I caught her with both arms to keep her from falling. She looked up at me, our faces hovered dangerously close. We blushed. Looking over, I could see Kasane standing right behind her, peeking at us with a suspicious-looking grin.

"Awwww. Looks like you were cold, weren't you, Rin? You needed someone _warm_ to hold onto. Isn't. That. RIGHT?" With a sharp nudge of her hip, she bumped Rin even closer to me.

Rin bit her bottom lip cutely, nodding in embarrassment. "Y… Yes." She slowly wrapped her arms around me, leaning her face even closer to mine. "I-I feel so very cold, Len!" She exclaimed with a shiver, "C-Can we please stay close like this for a while? Please?"

There was no way I could say no to those eyes of hers. I could practically feel the flames burst in my cheeks. I managed to stutter a reply. "Y-Yeah, sure! I-It _is_ pretty chilly." I gulped, remembering the accidents from this morning.

"Looks like Luka-face and I are sitting this one out. How unfortunate," Kasane sighed melodramatically as she pulled her cousin near the exit gate. Taking out a camcorder, she shot all of us a thumbs-up. "I'll be recording your reactions~! Be sure to be at your best!" She pointed at us, "Especially you, Rin!"

Soon, all of us except Kasane and Megurine were seated inside the cart. Me next to Rin at the very front, Meiko and Kaito one row behind us, and Ted with Akaito far in the back. As the harnesses lowered, Rin turned to me with a slight look of worry.

"Len? Those people before us looked strange." she shivered slightly, "T-This 'roller-coaster' as everyone calls it. Is it… scary?" I tried to smile despite the fact I felt like dying on the spot.

"N-Not at all! It's actually pretty fun, so don't worry about it." And without warning, the cart lurched forward.

All the people around me started screaming, including myself. We were whirling around the air, and rushing at a rate of seventy-miles per hour. I gasped and hung onto my harnesses. When was this gonna end? I groaned to myself mentally. Then, I felt my hand being squeezed tightly. Looking over, I realized I had it easy.

Rin, pale with horror, stared directly ahead. Her entire body wracked with nervousness and fear. Her eyes were wide and teary. Her hand was clawed around mine, practically to the point where I couldn't feel anything. With a light whimper, she leaned over and slumped towards me, hugging my arm against her budding chest.

I gulped, feeling my face heat up again. As if my heart weren't already beating fast, it practically exploded in my chest. I struggled to remain calm. But sweet God, she felt so _warm_ and _soft._

I found myself completely dazed. But when began to climb to the highest peak, I realized that we were still on the ride. My breath hitched in my throat momentarily and with my free hand, I grabbed Rin's hand.

"Kaito, B-Before we die… there's s-something I need to tell you…" Meiko panted behind us as the cart began to climb the highest high.

"What's… that?" Kaito gasped breathlessly in reply, his voice hoarse from shouting and cursing. Soon, we were at the top, and the cart momentarily paused. Butterflies swarmed in my stomach as I looked down below.

Oh geez!

"Kaito," Meiko spoke quickly, "Ever since we were kids, I've always loved-"

The cart suddenly dropped.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The roller coaster turned upside down.

"HYAAAAAAAAAN!" Rin shrieked, throwing her entire body on me and fiercely wrapping her arms around my neck. The heat rushed to my face.

Lord almighty, kill me now.

* * *

**Kaito's POV**

"Ohohoho~! Wow, the footage was great! I captured your reactions quite nicely~!" The crazy red-headed girl exclaimed while the rest of us stumbled off the fifth roller-coaster ride on tour. "So, where to next?"

"N… No more…!" Akaito gasped as he clutched at his chest, his face purple from screaming. "No more rides right now… I need… to catch my breath." He gasped several times before collapsing on his knees. Meiko and I sighed as we watched Kasane girl twirl around several times before pouting.

"Mou, you're all such pansies!" Kasane girl complained, putting aside her video camera. She looked over at Rin and Len who were a few meters away, talking. That was when I noticed three things.

One: Len looked extremely nervous. He was blushing and sweating like crazy as Rin clung to his right arm. It looked like he was fantasizing about her in _very_ creative ways as he tried avoiding staring down that low neckline of hers.

Two: Rin kept rubbing against him, appearing fascinated by his reactions. She leaned in and stroked his arm in zig-zag patterns, making him shiver.

And three: Kasane girl, Megurine and Meiko were gathered together closely as they stared at the blondes, whispering and giggling. Kasane had this really weird look on her face as she took out a heavy notebook and pointed at the open pages. Meiko and Megurine sighed and shook their heads as she ranted with enflamed eyes. That was when she pointed at Meiko and said something, making her gape in alarm.

"Hell no! You can't do that!"

"This is a serious project! We're doing this for her own good, she'll thank us for this later on! But right now, we have no choice but to turn up the heat! The first phase is almost done and you're the one who sees it to the end, Meiko!"

They continued to bicker, making me raise an eyebrow.

O_kaaaay._

"What's their problem?" Akaito asked me as we stared. Ted came up beside me as well. I shrugged in reply. "Wanna go ask?" I looked back at the girls who continued arguing.

"… Not really."

"Yeah. That's what I was thinking too."

I continued to watch. Kasane girl suddenly went behind Meiko and shoved her in our direction. Both girls bickered for a moment before Meiko finally gave in and walked over where we were. She began in a forced, cheerful voice.

"Hey, Akaito… don't you think Rin-chan would just _love_ to have that bear over there?" She asked, pointing to a large, stuffed bear at the prizes section for the ring toss game.

The redhead blinked. "You think so?"

"Yeah." Meiko grumbled, shooting a death glare at Kasane girl before turning back to face Akaito with a weak smile. "You think Rin-chan's pretty cute, right?"

"Obviously."

"You like her, don't you?"

"Well, sure."

"Don't you think she'd be pretty happy if you won that bear for her? I bet she'd hug you for it."

"Really?"

"Yup." Meiko leaned in, placing an arm on his shoulder. "Face it, you're probably the manliest guy here who could impress her like that. To earn affection from someone so adorable, it'd say a lot of good things about you. It'd boost your standards around girls. It'd make all the other guys jealous of you and your wily charms." I looked over towards bunny-chan, who had been pulled aside by Luka, pointing at Akaito and whispering into her ear.

"You know what to do, Rin-san?"

Bunny-chan nodded. "Yes."

I rose an eyebrow.

What were they up to?

Akaito looked at her, obviously drawn in to her bait. Without a moment's hesitation, he zoomed towards Rin. With a million-dollar smile, he took Rin towards the ring toss area and pointed to the bear, asking if she wanted it. Rin nodded quickly and turned around as if making sure Shota-kun was watching.

He was.

More like glaring.

In a few minutes, Akaito won the bear for Rin and handed it to her. He was obviously waiting for that happy squeal and flying hug. Rin looked back at Kasane girl who was shooting her a thumbs-up, she looked back at Akaito. Taking a deep breath, she stood on her tips of toes and pecked him softly on the cheek. He looked at her in shock, mouth slightly agape. She smiled and walked away, leaving the red-head rubbing at the spot where she had kissed him.

Holy Saint Vanilla.

When did rabbit girl learn to kiss people? I've never even seen her kiss Len before- oh, speak of the devil, I looked over at him.

He was _pissed_.

His face was white and stony as he continued staring at Akaito. His clenched fists were shaking. He looked like he wanted to kill someone right then and there so he turned around and began violently kicking a telephone pole.

I looked back at Meiko who was having a mini tug-of-war with Kasane over Rin. Megurine-chan was trying to stop them. Akaito came walking back over to us with a sigh. "That didn't go the way I planned…" he mumbled.

Again, I rose an eyebrow at him. "Didn't you like that kiss?"

"I didn't _not_ like it," he sighed, "Rin-chan's cute and everything, but I just like her as a friend. And I'm sure she feels the same way, there wasn't anything behind her kiss." Whoa, that was the first time I heard him say anything like that about girls.

"Well, shota-kun doesn't know that. That's for sure."

Akaito turned to me quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"He got pissed and starting beating the crap out of a telephone pole when he saw bunny-chan kiss you." I answered casually, shrugging. "He gets jealous-no, _territorial_ when it comes to Rin." I remember this one sophomore guy who kept hitting on Rin. When he tried to look up her skirt one day when Shota showed up. I shuddered at the last memory of Shota practically punching the guy's face out when they were off school-grounds.

Meiko and I had to restrain him from actually killing him. (Though in the end, the pervert was fined and suspended. We never saw him since.)

It wasn't anything to laugh about back then, but thinking about it now… it was actually pretty funny.

Len wasn't the kind of kid who lost his temper easily. He was sensitive and girly, sure. But all in all, he is pretty easygoing. He isn't the 'tsundere' type (like Meiko). But he could definitely be a shota-bitch when he wanted to be.

"So, Len's emotions can be swayed when it comes to Rin-chan?"

"Sure." That and being called a Shota.

"He'll act nothing like his normal self? Mad and blinded with rage?"

"Uh-huh."

"Is he fun when he's jealous?"

"Oh, _yeah_."

"Hmmm…" Akaito looked thoughtful for a moment, then, a sly smirk spread across his face. "Say, how about we play with Rin-chan for a while then?" He poked Ted beside him, "How about it?" The other red-head coolly raised an brow.

"Just to annoy Len?"

"Exactly." Akaito grinned. "C'mon, it'll be fun."

Ted shook his head. "No. I'm not interested in playing with peoples' emotions just for my own amusement. That's something only a sadist would do." Akaito scoffed.

"Whatever. You totally found it hilarious when we got Len riled up a few hours ago, admit it."

"…I did."

"That settles it then." Akaito licked his lips and stared at bunny girl. "It's not like we actually have the hots for her, man. We just wanna see Len's funny faces again~." I rolled my eyes him.

"Sadist."

* * *

**General POV**

A little green-haired boy watched the group of teenagers from afar. He had been watching them for a while now without being noticed. Taking a quick glance around, he observed the crowded mass of people gathered in this so-called "amusement" park.

Ridiculous, Gachapoid thought to himself with a miserable sigh.

How on earth could his mistress partake interest in useless events such as these? He looked back at the girl he had been programmed to look after. He never understood her ways and probably never would. But for once, couldn't she be concerned for her own safety?

And that Kagamine boy.

Green eyes narrowed into slits. Gachapoid stared at the lanky, flaxen-haired teenager. He didn't like this Len one bit. He was ignorant and weak-minded, just like any other human. Not only that, but he'd also developed an obvious attraction to his dear mistress.

That which the robot deemed dangerous.

Something abruptly whipped past him, making him blink. He managed to catch a glimpse of a purple butterfly and long red hair. Glancing around hurriedly, he tried to spot the object of his mind.

"Are you lost, little boy?" Gachapoid met the worried eyes of a middle-aged woman. "Do you need help finding your mother?" The robot-boy stared at her for a moment before smiling half-heartedly.

"Thank you, but I'm quite fine." The woman frowned. Knowing she would ask more questions, he quickly walked away, all the while still looking for the mysterious stalker. He hadn't been able to prevent Rin from coming here, and as much as he wanted to go retrieve her, he couldn't blow his cover. (That and not wanting to deal with her mismatched friends.)

In the meantime, he would simply have to keep his distance and observe.

After all, he knew his mistress was being stalked.

* * *

**Teto's POV **(Yes, you read right)

"Nicely done, Meiko. You played your part well." I grinned and poked the grumpy brunette beside me. "It's time for phase two to begin!" Meiko and Luka-face groaned at the same time.

"Haven't you done enough already?" Meiko glared at me, crossing her arms.

"Nope."

All of us were inside a karaoke restaurant, the one near the amusement park. No one wanted to eat at the food courts since it was so crowded and the lines were endlessly long.

Me, Rin, Meiko and Luka sat inside one of the booths while all the boys were pver at the far end of the room.

"Teto," My oh-so-pretty cousin began tiredly, "when will you stop this nonsense? It's really getting out of hand."

"Nonsense?" I gasped, sitting up from the table. "I'm simply doing the Lord's holy work and you call it nonsense? What blasphemy is this?" Boldly, I climbed on top of the table and began to proclaim in a loud voice. "Those who have no faith will be judged! They will suffer the divine punishment! I, Teto will make sure they-!"

"Sit your ass _down_!" Meiko hissed as she yanked me back into the seat. "Christ, have you no shame?" I snorted.

Have I no shame, she asks? Uh, she's the one who made the pathetic attempt of confessing her feelings on a fucking roller-coaster. Everyone knows you can't do that, the settings need to be more romantically inclined. Like at a beach, or in a hotel, or when you're on the verge of dying.

We're talking the new age here, people.

I shook my head at them in disapproval. "I care for nothing when it comes to love. Honor and dignity be damned." My friends looked at me like I had gone crazy.

… Which I hadn't. (At least, not clinically.)

"Teto…" The ever-sweet Rin-chan looked at me with those adorable eyes of hers. "Why must we follow this plan of yours? It's so very complicated and… all I would like to do is to try kissing with Len." I shot her a look of sympathy.

"You, my dear, probably don't even know _how_ to kiss." Rin flinched, looking down in shame. "Understand that it takes a very long process. You can't just do it whenever you'd like, it takes time and careful planning. Don't be so naïve now." I said, poking her several times before making her nod in embarrassment. "You're just gonna have to listen to me if you ever want that kiss from Lenners. Otherwise, he'll end up hating you." Her eyes widened in shock and horror. I chuckled, deciding to take advantage of her innocence. "_I_ am the master here. _I_ am the general of the matchmaking. _I_ am the one who's working her butt off just for you, a child in my world of romance and sexual tension. You might be able to succumb boys to your demands with that cute face of yours, Rin-chan, but you _cannot_ question the eagle eye of your situation. Capiche?" She swallowed and nodded fervently, eyes tearing up.

"Forgive me!" she cried, bowing multiple times in shame and embarrassment, "I will never doubt again! Have mercy!" I smirked to myself, feeling empowered.

"Apology accepted."

"We get your point." Meiko rolled her eyes at me, enveloping Rin in a comforting embrace. "What's on the agenda now?" Finally, we were on the same level. My smirk widened as I placed my magazines and awesome pink Hello-Kitty notebook with rainbow swirls (thank you very much for asking) on the table.

"Phase Two: **Sketchiness**." I grinned. "In this stage, we will activate a boy's worst nightmare; his girl flirting with other guys." Meiko sighed.

"You're planning to make Len jealous? That's dangerous, y'know."

"Seems he's quite the possessive type, that'll make the situation even more fun~." I chuckled evilly at looked over at my cute cousin. "Luka-pants! You'll be leading phase two~!" A look of horror crossed her face.

"M-_me_? No way!"

"Yes way. You're gonna teach Rin these topics: How to Flirt and Steamy Make-outs." I pointed the open contents of the _Sweet-Teen_ magazine. "That's an order." Luka shook her head but began reading the articles aloud, Rin drew closer to her.

I turned to Meiko with a fist poised. "While Rin is learning the basic arts, you and I are gonna find some dudes for Rin to flirt with! And make sure Kagamine-kun is watching for damn's sake!"

"Okay, who should we pick?"

Before I could respond however, Shion popped out and squeezed into the spot between Rin and Luka. "Hey, girls~. You don't mind if we join you, right?" He winked. My eyes narrowed in slight agitation. I was about to tell him to shoo until Ted-kun slid beside me. A huge blush crept onto my cheeks.

"Not at all!" I spoke quickly, feeling light-headed.

Oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god.

Ted-kun's arm was rubbing up against me! He was so sexy, so cute, so lean and strong with his foxy face, gorgeous red hair, beautiful eyes, and oh- did I mention he has a nice butt? So smooth and rounded to perfection… "Teto!" A voice whispered harshly in my ear. "Lift your eyes and look at me! What about the plan?"

Huh? Plan? What plan- OH!

My eyes shot open. I shook my head, trying to snap myself back in the game. Focus, Teto, focus! Now is not the time for admiring your sexy crush!

"R-Right," I muttered in reply. That was when Kaito and Kagamine-kun came over too.

Party in a booth. Yippee.

A waitress walked over with a fake, cheery smile. "Excuse me, is anyone ready to order?" We all nodded, especially me.

"I'll have soba and a glass of water." Meiko said. The waitress wrote it down and looked at Rin. Her eyes widened in realization and she sat up properly.

"May I please have the rice cakes?" Rin asked politely, the waitress nodded in reply. Then she looked at me.

"Curry bread and anpan!" I shot up from the table, eager to have bread. "With lots of butter!"

"Sushi, please. With extra salmon." Luka said.

"Yam noodles and rice dumplings." Akaito laid back his spot, slinging a comfortable arm around Rin. (I took note that her twin looked rather peeved at that.)

"Somen." Ted-kun murmured. "Curry bread and anpan... lots of butter. A glass of water too, with a slice of lemon." Eeek! He ordered the same breads as I did! WITH EXTRA BUTTER!

Kaito cleared his throat. "I'll get the miso soup. And two scoops of vanilla ice cream." The waitress nodded and wrote everything down. Then, she looked over at Kagamine-kun expectantly. He stopped glaring at Akaito long enough to finally notice.

"O-Oh, I'm not hungry. I'll just have water." he answered.

The waitress bowed. "Please wait a moment." And she walked off. Akaito practically leaned against Rin and enwrapped her in a lazy hug.

"So, Rin-chan. How's it going?" Rin blinked.

"Everything is fine as always."

"Cool, cool. You having fun?"

"Oh, yes. I am."

"Really?" The redhead (yes, I'm calling him a redhead. Ironic, I know.) suddenly smirked and leaned in, his mouth hovering closer to the side of her face. "Is it because of me?" He murmured in her ear, his lips lightly brushing against her skin, making her blush and shiver slightly.

"I-I suppose so…"

Whoa… was it just me or was he actually flirting with Rin?

"Rin-chan is quite cute, you know?" Akaito nudged her playfully. "I get why Len couldn't keep his hands off you this morning~." My eyes flickered across the table, and you know what I saw?

It was Kagamine-kun. He was glaring over at Akaito, his blue eyes flickering dangerously and his entire body tense. A strange expression overtook his face, it looked somehow primal and carnal and… obsessively protective.

… Oh.

OH.

A grin itched its way onto my face. Excitement bubbled inside me. This is the perfect opportunity to stage the next phase! Jealousy was already beginning to stir! Maybe Rin didn't need to be the one flirting after all!

"This is it!" I whispered to Meiko excitedly, my eyes alit with victory flames. "Phase two has begun!" The waitress suddenly returned with the food and drinks, smiling and nodding.

Rin's eyes lit up when she received her rice cakes, she smiled cutely and widely. "Thank you so much!" Everyone allowed themselves to enjoy her adorable reaction, sighing dreamily. It was always rewarding to see Rin actually smile, especially when she received food. "You are truly kind! Going through such trouble making these! Please accept my gratitude, kind miss!" Rin exclaimed in awe, bringing her hands below her chin in a gracious manner. Her light and happy aura was so infectious, even the waitress had to crack a real smile.

"No problem." she answered, setting down the rest of our food before walking away again.

I grabbed my plate and began taking eager bites out of both breads, chewing and savoring the flavors. Ah, sneaking out of the house was totally worth it. I knew I was so gonna get grounded for this, but I actually didn't care.

"Mmm~!" Rin sighed in contentment. Luka stopped re-arranging her sushi long enough to look up and smile.

"Are those delicious, Rin-san?"

Rin smiled back and nodded fervently. "Yes!" She had a full cake poking out of her mouth, which would be normally be sort of gross, but it was pure cuteness in Rin's case.

"Really?" I turned to Ted who raised an eyebrow in interest. "Let me try." He suddenly leaned in really close to Rin's face, making her blink. He paused for a moment, their gazes meeting a standstill. Without warning, he bit off a piece of the rice cake from her mouth. "It's good." He said with a nod. I gaped at him, feeling totally betrayed.

It was like he had meant to kiss her!

I wanted so badly to cry right then and there. But then I looked over at Kagamine-kun, who was now flushed and glaring fiercely at Ted-kun. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn't. I smirked to myself, feeling a lot better.

"Yo, Rin-chan. You got some rice on your face," Akaito said with a mischievous grin. He poked his tongue out and (ew) licked Rin's cheek. She winced and blinked at the same time.

A low growl escaped from Kagamine-kun. His hands closed into fists as he grasped the drink in his hand. His teeth were clenched and his smooth face contorted in a look of pure jealousy. Angry blue eyes glared menacingly at the flirters, pupils alit in flames. A noise of a chair being roughly pushed back sounded as the blond stood up with fists banged against the table and dark yellow bangs covering his eyes.

"I'm going to the bathroom." he said in a low voice before storming off.

Akaito and Ted looked like they were suppressing grins as they watched Kagamine-kun leave. When he turned a corner, they suddenly exploded in loud laughter.

"D-DID YOU SEE THE LOOK ON HIS FACE? BWAHAHAHAA! THAT WAS WIN RIGHT THERE, MAN! PRICELESS~!" Akaito hooted, clutching at his forehead. Tears welled up in their eyes, and they collapsed into their seats. They continued cracking up. Ted-kun then leaned against me, snickering and shaking his head. I felt myself heat up at the sudden contact.

Heaven... I've died and gone and to heaven.

"What? You mean to say you both did that to just make Len mad?" Meiko asked in amazement. Akaito laughed and nodded, wiping his eyes.

"Ted and I were bored, so we decided to play with Len's temper." The redhead (yes, I'm calling him that again) grinned and nudged Rin (who was too busy enjoying her treat to notice what was going on). "It turns out, his cute little sister happens to be the key. Boy, is he territorial." Kaito snorted and took a bite out of his ice cream.

"Sadist."

"So you don't actually like Rin-chan?" I asked Ted-kun softly, who was back to his calm self. He shrugged.

"Nah."

I felt like jumping out of my skin and partying right there. I still have a chance, people! Too bad I was busy with a super serious operation to actually consider confessing at the moment.

"I'm going to the bathroom~! Meiko, come with me!" I giddily said as I squeezed out of the booth, pulling along the brunette and snatching up my notebook. I winked at Luka and Rin before mouthing 'call me' to Ted-kun.

Things were going according to plan!

I wanted to scream, but Meiko would've smacked me. We walked into the bathroom, and that was when I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD TED-KUN TOUCHED MY SHOULDER I'M NEVER BATHING AGAIN! KYAAAAAAAAAAAH~!" I screamed while spinning in rapid circles and giggling like a crazy fangirl. Meiko tightly covered her ears. I started crying and shrieking happily at the same time. "I LOVE YOU TED-KUUUUUUUUUN~! I WANNA MARRY YOU SOMEDAY AND HAVE YOUR BABIES I LOVE YOU THIS MUUUUUUUUCH~! OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOOOOD!"

After five minutes, I finally managed to calm down.

"You are insane." Meiko groaned as she gloomily hovered over the sink. "Now I know how Luka-chan must feel."

"Hohoho~! Kagamine-kun is jealous as hell now! Everything is going according to my plans, you should celebrate too!"

The older girl sighed. "Uh, _yay_." She pumped a fist in mock cheer. "I'm happy, I'm excited, whatever." She then rolled her eyes at me. "This was supposed to be a fun, relaxing day. Not a wild episode of dragging Rin into your dirty schemes." she groaned and punched a wall in frustration, "God, I _never_ should've let you come along! Things are so messed up now!" I stared at her, feeling quite indignant.

"Hey! I'm doing Rin a favor here! She's the one who wanted to kiss Kagamine-kun, I'm just trying to help her out!"

"Thanks to you, she's mislead into seducing Len."

"The tactics of how a girl wants to kiss a boy in the certain age of adolescence!"

Meiko scowled, bringing her face close to mine. "Tactics' my ass! You're just creating a puppet show!" I scowled back, bumping our foreheads together.

"So what if I am? Love is blind and I'm trying to make them see that they're fucking perfect for each other!" Yes, I know they're related, but can they help that? Love deserves all kinds of chances with different people!

Society could go rot in hell for all I care!

That's when the door suddenly opened. A familiar voice sounded as two green-haired girls stepped into our view. "What's with the shouting? I mean seriously, this is a restroom-" The voice stopped upon seeing us. "… Oh."

Holy… shit… (was what my mind processed at the moment.)

Standing just a few meters away, was Akita's cousins-slash-lackeys.

Gumi and Sonika.

Know what else? They were wearing the waitresses' outwear, which meant they obviously worked here.

Sonika suddenly narrowed her eyes while Gumi kept on staring at us, "Well, well. If it isn't _Kasane_ and _Meiko-senpai_." she stated our names in complete disgust. "What a pleasure to see you here." I glared at her.

Damn, if those two were here, that could only mean Akita was nearby… and I was _so_ not in the mood to deal with her.

I worked hard for this operation to get this far, and there was no way on earth I was gonna let anyone get in the way.

Not even that goddamned, cellphone-addicted bitch.

"Sonika, darling, I really ought to give you a piece of my mind," I started, temptation lingering within me, "but since Meiko and I already have some seriousness going on with our friends, we really must be going. Later." I quickly gestured to Meiko. We started out the door until Sonika suddenly spoke up again.

"Hey, Kasane! You're not still hanging out with that Kagamine girl after what she just did to your cousin, are you?" Luka? I stopped in my tracks, turning around in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

Sonika looked at me in mock surprise. "You don't even know about it? Everyone at school is talking about it! When yesterday, Kagamine attacked-"

"You two work here, right?" Meiko suddenly interrupted, making their heads swivel. "Isn't this a karaoke joint?" Sonika blinked, then rolled her eyes.

"Oh, for the love of-"

"Yes, it is." Gumi cut in with a smile, seeming relieved to have someone else talking. She was actually pretty nice compared to Akita and Sonika. Meiko smiled as well.

"I have a favor to ask then," she said, directing her gaze at Gumi. "But only if you're willing to listen." Gumi raised her eyebrows in interest.

"Keep talking."

Sonika however, crossed her arms. "Neru-sama doesn't want us to listen to whatever you two have to say. We're loyal to her no matter what." A coy smirk played on the brunette's lips.

"Well, I've noticed you girls have taken quite an interest in Hatsune's brother… Mikuo is his name?" Both girls stared at her, blushing. "Thought so." She said with a laugh before winking over to me. I cocked a brow in reply.

What was she doing?

"It just so happens Rin-chan is a good friend of his, and she knows a lot of his secrets." Meiko began checking her nails out. "She tells us there's this cute girl he can't get out of his head; she has the most gorgeous green hair and the most adorable eyes…" she looked up at them, hiding a smirk, "Sounds like it could be one of you ladies."

"R-Really?" Gumi squeaked, her face cherry-red.

"Yup. And I just _might_ be able to tell you more… that is, if you'll do whatever I ask."

"Fine, fine! We'll do anything!" Sonika exclaimed pleadingly, her eyes big with hope. "We'll tell you anything about Neru-sama if that's what you what! Really!" I snorted in amusement.

So much for loyalty.

But my ears were on when Sonika said they'd tell us _anything_ about Akita. That also meant her moments of pure humiliation.

Hmmm.

"Well, now that you mention it- _oof_!" Meiko quickly jabbed me in the ribs before I could finish. She shot me a hard look before leaning in and whispering in my ear.

"Shut up, we're blackmailing them. I have a plan and we can make it through as long as that annoying bitch doesn't show up." she murmured lowly. "The request I'm asking them involves the karaoke." I looked at her, fully interested.

"What's on your mind?" I asked in a low voice, making sure Gumi and Sonika couldn't hear.

Meiko grinned at me and whispered. "You know the song 'Spice'? We're gonna have Rin sing it." I blinked several times before grinning hugely.

I knew what she meant now.

* * *

It turns out Akita works in the kitchen, so we didn't have to worry about her coming out to see us.

We got back and saw everyone was still eating. Luka and Rin were still reading the magazine, and the boys were all chatting about something. Len was there too, but he kept his head, looking upset. We slid into our seats and indulged in fake conversation with each other. A few minutes later, as if on cue, one of the waitresses walked up onstage where the karaoke equipment was.

"Hi, everyone! Hope you're having a good time here!" The waitress with crazy hair talked into the microphone, grabbing everyone's attention. "Right now, we just received a special request! Someone from the audience has volunteered to sing on the karaoke~!" Meiko and I looked at each other and grinned, knowing what was to come. "As the rules apply, if everyone shouts loud enough for the singer to receive points, that person will have their meal free of charge~!" The girl smiled, a spotlight appearing before her. "Drum roll, please~!"

All the people present began whooping and banging their fists against the tables and floors, trying to drum to the best of their abilities. The large spotlight frantically searched the audience, making anyone seem like a possible candidate. But of course, we already knew who it was gonna be. The neon-colored circle suddenly stopped over at our table and shone.

Right at Rin.

"Eh...?"

"This is lucky gal chosen today, everyone! Let's all give her a warm welcome!" Everyone began clapping. Meiko and I slapped each other high-fives while everyone at our booth gaped at Rin in shock. Even Len had looked up, and he seemed pretty surprised.

"Eh! What is this? I do not-" Rin's words came to an abrupt halt when me and Meiko began wheeling her onto the stage.

"Here's your call, Rin! Go on up there!" Meiko whispered in her left ear as we pushed her up the stairs.

"Remember what I told you! Use body language!"

"B-But…! What am I supposed to do?"

"Hi there, gal~. What's your name?" The blue-haired waitress greeted Rin as she handed her the microphone. We flashed her a thumbs-up sign before quickly hurrying back to our seats. The lights suddenly darkened, making the stage lights appear bolder.

"I-I am Rin. Kagamine Rin, fourteen years old." Rin answered shakily, glancing around nervously. "Ah… why am I here?" she asked. The audience laughed as if she were joking. The girl laughed as well.

"Silly, you just won your chance to shine on the spotlight~!"

"Eh…? But, I-"

"Don't be shy now, show some confidence! Sing your heart out for those who have come here!"

Rin's eyes shot wide open. "S-Sing?"

"That's right! Now, we'll be starting up your requested song, so please stand by~." With that, the waitress cheerfully skipped off the stage. Rin stood there, looking like a deer caught in headlights. She swallowed nervously and took a few steps back. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and began to concentrate.

"Hey… shouldn't someone go up there help Rin-san?" Luka whispered to me with a concerned frown. I only grinned and shook my head.

"She'll be fine. Just watch." I stole a glance at Kagamine-kun, who looked just as worried. I smirked inwardly, trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach.

Phase two was gonna skyrocket.

The music started up and the lyrics screen popped up the other side of the room. Rin suddenly jerked to the side and began moving her hips in swaying motion. Her eyes snapped open, but they were no longer wide and innocent. A calm, almost sensual expression lined her face. She opened her mouth and began to sing in a smooth, velvet-like voice;

"**I wake up to a call at 4AM.**

'**Yesterday, where were you and who were you with,' You asked.**

**Alternating between evasions and excuses**

**I'm having so much fun using them…**

'**It's just you,' you said?**

**Too cliché, I'm dying… from laughter.**

**Just want to be tied with someone together?"**

She rolled her entire body, tilting her head sideways with a narrowed look.

**"My bitter and hot SPICE,**

**Just this once, I'll give some to you.**

**My taste that makes you dazed… can you feel it throughout your body?"**

Rin then started to dance in a most scandalous manner. The guys in the restaurant began whooping and making catcalls. My jaw dropped. What just happened to the sweet, quiet, innocent Rin-chan? In her place stood a foxy playgirl, moving her body in such a way that would tempt even the happiest of boyfriends. It seems I wasn't the only one thinking that, looking around my table, I could see my friends' shocked faces. But Kagamine-kun seemed to be effected the most.

He was gaping at his twin in pure shock, his jaw hung open. Red colored his cheeks and beads of sweat formed at the top of his forehead. He looked extremely uncomfortable and speechless. Nonetheless, anyone could tell he obviously liked what he was seeing.

My smirk widened.

"GO RIN-CHAN!" I cheered her on, making Luka over at me in shock.

"Teto!"

"**I want to meet you in person and have a talk',**

**That's your one weakness I always aim at.**

**As long as we fall in love, things will be just fine, right?**

**I unlock the door and lead you into my labyrinth…"** The new Rin suddenly smiled and winked in our direction, over at Len. In reaction, his jaw slacked open even further.

"**Things 'I love you'… that's merely what I say to trap you...**

**In a love game I can never lose."**

"Yeah! WOO!"

"OH YEAH! BABY!"

Everyone started clapping and hollering, encouraging the blonde even further as she began openly winking and flirting with the guys. Akaito let out a big whoop, grabbing Ted and Kaito as they began dancing with people who were already partying to the beat.

"I didn't expect it to go this far." Meiko murmured, I dumbly nodded in agreement.

"Me neither."

"**Your bitter and sweet syrup,**

**Let me be the one to lick it up.**

**Skin on skin, I know how you taste now…**

**Let me be completely filled and satisfied!"**

The music pumped up, making every person in the room dance and sway. Rin started climbing down the stairs and making her way towards us, her hips swinging from side to side. A feline smirk shaped her face as she practically purred, plopping herself down in Len's lap. He looked at her in dumb silence, his face reddening with each passing moment. Rin tilted her head at him, her eyes sparking with playful interest and that smirk of hers widening.

Her fingers found themselves walking up the front of his chest, making him shiver slightly.

"Nn…"

Meiko and I observed in keen interest. Luka however, was too embarrassed to watch. She quickly covered her face with the magazines.

Rin smiled and teasingly ground her hips against Len, eliciting a groan from him. He began to pant heavily, his trembling hands resting on both her legs. It looked like he wanted to stop her, but couldn't at the same time. That was when she suddenly leaned over and nibbled on his earlobe. His eyes shot open and rolled to the back of his head, he whimpered very softly.

Whoa.

Is it just me or were things getting a little hot in here…?

Being the pervert I was, I whipped out the video camera and started recording the hot footage. Whatever the song had done to Rin, I liked it a _lot_. She was now a bold and foxy playgirl, someone who knew how to torture Len and make him drawn to her charms.

Raising both hands, she cupped both sides of Len's blushing face. Giggling, she began leaning in, their lips inching closer. Len's eyes widened before closing. As if hypnotized by a spell, he slanted towards her as well. Their lips hovered closer…

Closer… closer…

Closer!

Dammit! Kiss already!

Rin suddenly stopped and smirked, pushing him away and rolling off his lap. A look of bewilderment and hurt crossed Len's face as she ran back up at the stage. My eyes grew wide, the size of giant saucers.

Why would she do that?

WHY?

In a clear voice, the blonde playgirl onstage starting singing again.

"**I don't really know anything about love,**

**But for me, what we have feels just right.**

**I used to believe love was something I didn't need.**

**But with passion in your life, it's twice as fun!"**

At this point, the entire restaurant sang along with the lyrics.

"**Come! My bitter and hot SPICE,**

**Just this once, I'll give some to you.**

**My taste that makes you dazed.**

**Can you feel it throughout your body?"**

The music ended.

"WOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Encore, encore!"

"You go, girl! YEAH!"

The lights flashed on, making Rin stumble and blink. "Eh?" Her blue irises grew large and innocent again, portraying an angelic expression. Seeing everyone cheer and swing their drinks seemed to confuse her. "Eh…?" I put my camcorder away with a sigh.

"That was SO AMAZING~!" The blue-haired waitress came up from behind her and cheered. Surprised, Rin jumped and spun around. "Very nice moves! You were undeniably sexy! Your voice is so smooth, so sweet… it's like silk and honey combined. Aaaah~!" She squealed, squeezing her eyes shut and jumping around in excitement. Rin stared at her, totally bewildered.

"Oh… thank you."

"Let's give it up for Rin Kagamine, everyone! I think she deserves her meal free of charge, don't you?" Hoots, squealing, and whistling was everyone's reply. "That's what I thought!"

Rin, although confused, politely bowed to everyone. "Thank you very much for having me." With that, she climbed offstage and headed over towards the drink dispenser, leaving everyone to get back whatever they had been doing. Meiko, Luka, and I immediately bolted over.

"Rin-san!" Luka exclaimed breathlessly. She grabbed hold of both Rin's arms, worriedly checking all over her face. "Are you alright? Do you need to sit down?" The blonde blinked and tilted her head sideways.

"No. I am quite fine, thank you."

"Nice dancing you did there," Meiko remarked, poking her cheek in a playful manner, "and your singing sounded really good too! How'd you manage to pull all that off?" Her face tilted up with a thoughtful expression.

"Actually, I do not know," she answered carefully. "That song. I have never heard of it before, neither do I know its words… and yet, it did something so strange to me. I could not think or move by my own will. I just…" Her eyes widened and she looked at us. "Ah, wait! Was I… singing?"

"That you were." I answered with a smirk. "And you totally, as the Americans say; rocked the house. You almost got to kiss Kagamine-kun too~."

"Eh? I did? Really?"

"Yup~." I said, grinning ear-to-ear. "If only you had closed that final space, there wouldn't have to be a need for the final stage."

Luka looked at me. "What final stage?"

"Phase three:** Seduction**." I announced in an eerie voice.

"You've got to be kidding." Meiko shook her head with a sigh. My cousin sighed too, placing a hand over her forehead. I smirked, gesturing over to the other Kagamine who was sweating like crazy against the table.

You're not gonna be able to resist the cuteness of your adorable twin sister, Kagamine-kun. Not this time.

Tee~hee. I am such an evil bitch.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone staring at us.

An older girl. With long, vibrant red hair and snapping crimson eyes. She was dressed entirely in black leather, making her appear hardcore. She suddenly looked at me and grinned. I rose an eyebrow in her direction.

Who could she be?

Then, she suddenly walked the other way. And I noticed just as she turned, there was something on her right shoulder…

It was a purple butterfly.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

Happiness bubbled inside me.

I wasn't quite sure what happened back in the restaurant. But for the very first time, I sang and the feeling was undesirable.

I had done something extraordinary and thrilling, and it made so happy.

Especially since Len was there to watch.

I sighed in contentment. This day had gone wonderfully so far, everyone around me was laughing and smiling. I've had nothing but fun throughout the entire afternoon. Nothing sad or painful happened, that was for certain.

But… I still had one concern.

When would I be able to kiss Len?

I admit, kissing sounded a bit strange to me. Seeing those two characters do it to each other at Teto's house, it seemed no more than a simple act. And yet, Meiko-nee, Luka, and Teto reacted with shock and excitement when I announced that I wanted to try it with Len.

I must've realized then kissing was a very special thing to do. That it meant a lot of things, such as sharing closeness and celebrating each other's feelings.

It sounded so wonderful.

That was why I wanted to try kissing with Len. I wanted to do something special with him since he was very special to me. Always kind, always gentle, always understanding…

_Ba-thump… ba-thump… ba-thump._

Something strange flooded into my throbbing chest; it felt warm and inviting. My face grew hot as I pictured Len in my mind. Whenever I thought of him, this strange feeling swelled up within me. It never went away, instead, it grew bigger and bigger.

I wonder what this feeling is.

"Hey, everyone! We should all go on one last ride before we split!" Teto exclaimed as we looked up at the cloudy sky. "Do I hear any objections?"

"That sounds just fine." Ted bluntly stated, shrugging. We all agreed.

Teto clapped both hands together in excitement. "Great! You should all go on the Ferris wheel! A perfect ending ride to a long day!" She pointed to a giant, colorful wheel which spun steadily in a vertical motion. I marveled at it in awe.

So pretty!

"I second that!" Akaito shouted, "Last one there's a rotten egg!" He took off towards the line. Ted and Kaito took off after him, laughing and yelling. Meiko didn't hold back either.

"Hey! Don't leave us behind!"

The rest of us continued walking. Teto suddenly pulled me close to her and whispered in my ear. "Okay, Rin. This is the season finale, the part where you can finally get to kiss Len." I blinked, then a rush of heat traveled to my face.

"Really?" I whispered back excitedly. "Are you certain?"

"Positive. No one can survive past my awesome skills of matchmaking~." Teto giggled. Luka sighed and rolled her eyes. "You know how to kiss now, right? Did you read through the article slowly and carefully?" I nodded, reciting the instructions from her magazine.

"Step one, make sure the setting is somewhere private and romantically inclined. Step two, look him in the eye. Step three, lean in and tilt your head so neither of you bang noses. Step four, close your eyes and_**-**_"

"Perfect~! You even have it memorized!" Teto nudged me with her hip, grinning. She pointed over to where the others were waiting. "You're a faster leaner. The reason why I suggested the Ferris wheel is so you and your hunk can hit it off," she winked at me, "you can thank me later. I like gift cards, chocolate, goodie baskets… but a date with Ted-kun would really show your appreciation, Rinnie-boo." Luka then poked me.

"Hey, Rin-san. Kagamine-kun's been really quiet for a while now…" she frowned worriedly, "I hope he's alright."

I blinked, looking over to where Luka was pointing.

It was Len. He was walking a few meters away from us with his head down and his bangs covering his eyes. A slight frown creased the corners of my lips.

What could he be thinking about, I wonder?

"You kids are lucky. This is the last round I'm giving before shutting down." The ride attendant said to everyone as people paired together for the seats.

"Ride with me, Megurine-chaaaaan!" Akaito grabbed and dragged a blushing Luka into the first cart. Meiko and Kaito got in the second cart. That was when the final cart came.

"All right~! Kagamine-kun, go ride the last one with Rin-chan!" Teto suddenly shoved the both of us forward into the pair of seats. Len, gasping, turned to look at her with pink on his face.

"Wha… you're not gonna ride?"

Teto grinned and gave him a single-digit salute. "Sorry, request declined. I'll be waiting out here," she held up the strange device in her hand, "Someone has to do the recording, right?" Then she sent a strange wink at me. "Don't forget to use tongue action, Rin~." I tilted my head to the side, confused.

Tongue action?

"Hey! You can't just_**-**_!"

"Enjoy your ride." The attendant said before shutting the door in our face. Len groaned and muttered a curse. He sighed and sat down on the seat across from mine. I tried to busy myself by turning around and peeking out the small window.

The ride started and I felt the entire cart rock very slightly. I gasped in marvel as we slowly rose in the air before coming back down.

Amazing… this was much more peaceful compared to the roller-coaster rides. I found myself enjoying this one. Since the ride was slow, and the round shaped containers were big and safely locked, there was no need to wear seat belts.

"This is amazing, Len! Amazing!" I kept marveling at the sights below, exclaiming in awe at how small the people looked and how close we were to the evening sky.

"It feels like we're flying! Don't you think so too?"

A pair of warm arms suddenly wrapped themselves around my body, making me blink. I gasped when I felt the back of my shirt being peeled up. I could hear Len right behind me, running a hand up and down my skin.

"L… Len?" I tried to squirm away, only to have Len bring my bare back closer to his lean chest. He was sitting behind me, so I couldn't turn around to face him.

"Rin…" His warm breath brushed against my ear, causing shivers to run up and down my spine. "Rin…" He breathed, gently carressing my cheek. Gasping, I felt my back arch up in pleasure. "You're so cute…" I felt myself blush at that statement.

"Len… ah~!" His tongue flicked across the back of my neck, making me gasp again.

"Rin…"

"L-L-L-Len! What was that for…!" I managed to stammer, my face heating up every second. My insides began to warm up and tighten.

"Just wanted to see how you reacted…"

"H-How I reacted? Ah…~!" Len's hands began roaming up and down the front of my body, moving in circular motions. Waves of pleasure hit me, feeling his touch made me desire for it… more and more…

What was this feeling?

_BA-BUMP…!_

It suddenly became harder to breathe…

"You know, Rin…" Len breathed against my crook of my neck, sighing. "You've been really torturing me for the last couple of hours…" He jerked my body around and I soon found myself pinned to the seat cushion, looking up to meet Len's warm, yet dark gaze. "You realize I'm gonna have to punish you for that."

"W-What will you do…?" I asked, barely in a whisper.

His eyes darkened again and he began leaning in. His voice sounding odd and possessive:

"… I'll make you _mine_."

* * *

**Len's POV**

"W-Wait, Len… don't_**-yeee**_~!"

Crawling on top of Rin, I lifted her shirt just high enough to reveal most of her stomach. I pinned her wrists over her head and started licking across her abdomen. She gasped and squeaked, arching her back up slightly. "Nnn… haah~!" Hearing her make such sounds, it fueled me to experiment further. I lifted my head and took a good look at her.

Her beautiful blue eyes were staring up at me, wide and filled with so many emotions. Her body shook and trembled. And her hair - messy and sprawled out- making her look so breathtaking that I wanted to do a lot of perverted and selfish things as I had over the past few hours.

"Len…" she breathed out.

My eyes narrowed. I recalled the time when Ted and Akaito had been flirting with her a while back, I grit my teeth thinking about it.

Mine…

This girl is _mine_.

She belonged to me only, her face, her smiles… No one else could have her. And I wasn't willing to share this time.

I took note that that miniskirt of hers was riding dangerously high. Licking my lips, I decided to tease her. I slid a hand under the black fabric and rubbed at her thighs. A soft, breathy moan escaped from her. Leaning forward, I planted butterfly kisses all over her neck, trailing to her jaw-line. She squirmed in pleasure.

"Aah…aah~…!"

"You're mine to take." I murmured, feeling hazy. I brought a hand up to cup the side of her face, making her wince slightly. Her cheeks were stained red and she was panting heavily. I slowly undid the buttons on her shirt and tore it wide open, revealing most of her torso. She gasped as a dark shade of red painted over her cheeks.

My eyes then trailed to her parted lips.

Glossy and pink…

I found myself leaning forward with my eyelids starting to close. Our lips hovered closer and closer, just centimeters away_**-**_

"_Len…"_

I stopped and my eyes snapped wide open.

Wait, what am I doing?

I looked at Rin. Her eyes were moist and her face held a pleading expression. "Len…" She said in a low, beckoning voice. "_Please…"_ My eyes widened. Oh man, she was practically asking me to do bad things to her- wait _WHAT THE FUCK AM I THINKING?_

The most embarrassing, girlish shriek ripped from my throat as I flailed to move away from her half-naked body, only to fall backwards and hit the floor.

"OH- OW!"

"Len!" A voice exclaimed in concern. I curled up in the corner and promptly began banging my head against the wall. Oh god oh god oh god I just practically _molested_ Rin_**- **__HAVE I LOST MY MIND? NOOOOOOO!_

Blood rushed to my face. I could hear her breathing beside me; she touched my arm gently and I forced himself to turn and look at her.

"Oh…Sh…S-sorry…" I choked out.

God, I seriously wanted to start crying right now. How could I let myself do such a thing to someone so sweet as Rin? Len, you stupid, stupid _moron_! She's your cute baby sister, remember?

"A-Anyway, let me help you." I quickly buttoned up her blouse, blushing and trying to avoid looking at her well-budded chest. My hands fumbled clumsily as I breathed in sharply.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

I shook my head; my head was whirling with thoughts of shame at how I just had…

"S-Sorry…" I mumbled.

"For what?" Rin asked, curious.

"For…for taking advantage…P-please forgive me…" I stopped and blushed; dear God one part of me felt sorry and remorseful but another part was rearing, hardening again at sounds she had made—at the memory of the taste of her skin and how soft she felt and how I touched her… **NO!**

"No…" She answered shyly, looking down at her hands. "I-I do not mind… if Len likes it." she looked down at the floor, "Touching me, that is." My blush reddened even further, if even possible. We sat there in silence, not making eye-contact.

What kind of pervert was I anyway, thinking about Rin like that? I mentally groaned.

"Len?" I glanced up at the sound of her soft voice.

"Uh, yeah?"

Rin stared at me.

"Please… kiss me?"

Oh, she wanted me to kiss her, that was fine_**-**_wait, what?

"WHAT?" I gaped at her, eyes wide. How did she even know what kissing was?

Rin rocked to the side, pulling her hands behind her waist. "I want to try it with you… kissing, that is." She answered before tilting her head at me. "You were about to kiss me a moment ago, correct?" Ah, there went my face going up in flames again.

"AH! N-No! T-That wasn't-! I didn't mean to…! That didn't count!" I practically shouted, flailing my arms around wildly. "That was a mistake, Rin! Don't worry-!" I stopped when hurt flickered across her face.

"You cannot?" She asked softly. Panic swelled within me when she hid her eyes, which were brimming with tears. "I am sorry; I had no right. A person such as me can never meet your standards. All I am is a worthless burden, always causing trouble for others-"

"No," I chided, taking hold both her arms. "Listen." I nearly laughed at her bewildered expression when she looked at me. "Just explain. Why would you want to kiss someone like me? I'm no one special."

Her eyes widened. "No! Don't say that! Len _is_ special!" she exclaimed, "I am always smiling and happy when Len is here! You are someone very precious to me, someone who can never be replaced!" she moved closer to me, seriousness and passion mixed in her words. "A-And Luka says kissing is special! That's why…! I want to be able to do this special 'kissing' with you!"

I stared at her. "Rin…"

"But we will not if it displeases you." She hiccupped slightly, looking at me pleadingly. I grit my teeth in frustration.

Great. What was I supposed to do now?

I-I didn't think of Rin that way! It was Miku I liked, it's always been her I've dreamed about sharing my first kiss with! Rin… to me, she was only like my…! My…

My baby… sister…?

Shock hit me dead-on as I came to a realization. Those words… weren't real. They didn't feel true at all. At least not anymore.

Kaito had been right after all. I no longer thought Rin as the innocent, little-sister figure… instead, I was seeing and feeling something completely different for her.

But what?

Another realization struck me.

Miku. I hadn't seen her for a while, not to mention she was rarely on my mind lately. I was feeling different about her too, it gave off a more distant aura. But I still really liked her… didn't I?

I looked at Rin and noticed a lot of things I had never noticed before. Like the way she talked; whenever she'd ask a question, it would end on a high note. Or when she had a thought; she would always look up at something and her eyebrows would furrow in concentration. Or how she sang;... her voice would be high and airy.

Or how she smiled;… it was clear and bright, like the sun.

When Rin smiled, it was the most beautiful sight in the world.

Kissing those lips of hers, that would mean…

"That's not it, Rin…" I found myself answering. I suddenly felt very serious. I cupped her cheek with my hand, stroking it. She gasped slightly.

"Len…"

As if hypnotized, my face started to lean closer towards hers. Her eyes widened momentarily before fluttering shut. The pink on her face spread like a fire. I paused, staring at her one more time.

Rin was sweet… someone perfect. I realized she was very important to me. I couldn't see myself living without her, and I couldn't _bear_ the thought of having another guy steal her away.

Without her, I would just _die_.

I shut my eyes and closed the space between us.

Our lips met.

It was like fireworks (cliché term, I know). Rin's warm, soft lips on mine… it felt like fire. I couldn't get enough of the feeling. Having her this close, it was as if I were dreaming.

It lasted like that for a while, until suddenly, an annoying and loud noise screeched all around us, causing us to abruptly pull away in shock.

**_Eeecckk! Eeeeeck! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeck!_**

The entire cart rocked violently, swinging us from side to side. We both cried out in alarm. I immediately wrapped my arms around Rin, protectively holding her close to me. Banging noises suddenly erupted all around us, dents forming on the walls.

What? What was going on?

Cruel laughter sounded just outside as the banging noises continued. "Come out, come out wherever you are!" Rin gasped, her eyes widening in horror. She wrapped her arms around my neck tightly, her body racking with shivers.

"N-No!" She gasped out, clinging to me. "Don't! No! Don't come here!"

"Rin? What's wrong?" I tried to look at her face, but she shook her head, gasping and hugging me even tighter.

"L-Len, please…! She is here for me! Don't let her take me away!"

"What? Who?" Suddenly, the ceiling tore open from above, allowing the draft to rush in. Rin let out a scream as she buried her face in my chest. That was when a red-haired girl with a butterfly tattoo on her shoulder came to view.

"Project Rin…" The girl drawled with a smirk on her face. Then, she turned to me, her smirk widening, "and the boyfriend." I gaped at her in total shock. She suddenly looked back at Rin with a displeased frown. _"Du bist mit mir. Papa ist nicht glücklich mit dir."_ She spoke in a strange, foreign language. I watched Rin's eyes widen in shock.

"_Sie…"_ Rin's voice came out hoarse and trembling, _"Wer sind sie?"_

"_Halt den Mund!"_ The redhead snapped, pulling out this _huge_ rifle and pointing it directly at us. _"Nutzlos __**Schlampe**__! Ich habe gerade genug davon pathetischen Fassade von Ihnen hatte!"_ Rin flinched, shivering and hugging me even closer. Despite the fact I was intensely freaked out by this crazy foreign girl standing on top of the Ferris wheel and wielding a dangerous weapon, my instincts to protect Rin mattered a lot more to me.

"Who are you?" I demanded. I somehow found the courage to give the girl my best glare. She turned to me with a look of slight surprise.

"Who… am I?" she uttered in a soft, almost broken voice. The gun in her hands collapsed to the floor and her arms dropped. She looked down, hair falling into her face. "That's right… I'm just a sick, twisted experiment… something disgusting and inhuman." The wind whipped around her, making her sway slightly.

A crazed grin contorted the girl's face. She swung her head back and began laughing hysterically. Rin and I stared at her, horror rising in both our faces. Shakily, I pulled Rin's body behind me, protecting her from anything that was about to happen. The psycho finally stopped laughing and sighed.

She looked at me, grinning crazily with her red eyes shining with evil intent.

"… I'm your worst nightmare come true."

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**A/N: **Damn, this took me ages to complete. I'm tired… but I had so much fun writing this chapter. **XD** Anyway, here's the juicy update for the while. In the meantime, I'm gonna enjoy my summer~! Thanks for reviewing, everyone! Oh, and for those of you who can't understand German, _**LOOK IT UP ON GOOGLE TRANSLATE.**_

I expect this story to reach **400** reviews! I'll be holding the next chapter hostage until my demands are met. **;D** (Aren't I so cruel?) So please provide some juicy feedback and I'll provide yours!**-holds out review reward cookies- I'm serious. _I want JUICY, PASSIONATE REVIEWS._**

**Glossary**

**Lolicon- **The term describes a sexual preference for prepubescent girls, or an individual with such an attraction. It's also commonly used when referring to _lolicon manga_ or _lolicon anime_, a genre of manga and anime wherein childlike female characters are often depicted in a sexual manner, in an art style reminiscent of the shōjo manga (girls' comics) style. Outside Japan, "lolicon" is in less common usage and usually refers to the genre… In Japan, 'lolicon'/'loli' can also be described as a sex symbol.

**Tsundere- **A person who is described as cold and hostile on the outside, but affectionate on the inside.

**Anpan**- sweet bun filled with red bean (anko) paste.

Here's a great summer to you all!

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	16. Butterfly On Your Right Shoulder

**A/N: **This chapter update is greatly credited to the lovely **alphaprincess0803**, who whacked me around enough for me to pull myself together. Thanks onee-chan and everyone who all took the time to kindly review the last chapter~. **440 reviews!** Here's gratitude to;

**Rosey-Chan, ReconPHYC, Hoshiya, Akeyo Fujii, hkdfan, CluelessLeaf, Sam-chan, Campanella, ScreamingAngiesforgotpassword **(zomg, YOU are insane… XD), **XxXMori-ChanXxX, Bubblycutie and Awesomenessdude, pohkeemawn, Chikanpo, SeacatTopaz, Pavalova, kagamine-kichi13, Element4Rain, xXx The Joker of a Writer xXx, Akira Rei, Brunette Greek, iPolaris, kagaminevii, MaxJacksonCullengirl, Diio Diva, Sweet Lolita Kisses, AnimexxGirl13, alphaprincess0803 **(thanks! Love you, big sis!), **Angel-chan Desu, The Shining Sprite, Asshu-chan, Haruka-tan, Frostferret56, bigcow123456, Miko A. Kimura **(awesome editor of mine), **The Manga Otaku, TheGreatestMoronOnEarth, Cecilia Lorehart, DokiDokiKyuuChan, TinyTeto chan, Shadow Fox777, bubblyblue689, orangesbananasandcottoncandy, JustAnotherFanGirl, Higashino Ruuya, AnimeCatMew, aira2889, fujingodofwind, Vocaloid R., LunaChanx3, Moonlite Streak, **and finally… **AjEtIaN-SeKaI**~!

_**Disclaimer~ **__I __will__ own the Vocaloids… someday. I shall soon buy 'em off and create this magnificent piece of work into a reality… THAT MEANS THIS WILL BECOME AN ANIME/MANGA SERIES! I WILL PAY ASIANS TO DRAW EVERYTHING OUT… but like I said, it will be someday._

**~ Warning - **This page contains **coarse language, dark themes, violence, **and **slight gore**. AT THIS POINT I WILL PROVIDE ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT UNDERSTAND GERMAN. THIS IS NOW A REQUIRED GESTURE FOR THE STORY.

**Bold: **Stands for thoughts, VOCALOID mode, and so on.

_Italics: _Stands for German, specific words, insane screaming, trancelike dreams/flashbacks, etc.

I have the oddest feeling that some of my fans might be a _teensy_ bit mad at me for not updating all this time, eh heh heh… **XD**. I'm really, _really_ sorry! It took me a while to recover from the last update. But here's a chapter that'll drive you to the edge of your seat!

Rin's true colors as the VOCALOID have _finally_ been released!

* * *

**General POV**

Many emotions dwelt behind the cold mask of a certain boy. Behind wily smiles and charms… is a complete emptiness. Devoid.

Hatsune Mikuo stood amongst shock-filled crowd, yelling and pointing with shaking fingers at the strange scene high above.

There, on the highest cart of the colorful Ferris wheel, was a girl dressed in a black attire. She stood proudly and boldly as she held a panicked towheaded boy over where the audience stood, his body dangling helplessly. She cackled maniacally, looking as if she were about to drop him. She appeared to be strangling him as her hands closed around his neck.

Loud, cruel laughter echoed in the sky.

People around him exploded into a wild panic.

Mikuo's eyes narrowed as he studied the crazed, laughing girl, her rich cardinal hair whipping around..

SF-A2 Miki.

One of the failed 'products' developed inside Crypton labs.

At first she was determined to be a success as she was built to be a vital weapon for destructive violence and murder. However, her deadly, incurable bloodlust drove her to the brink of madness when she broke off from training and murdered seven scientists before she was sedated and caged.

Yes, she was powerful. But sloppy.

All eyes turned to a shaking girl emerging from the cart's broken roof. She started screaming and crying at the redhead, shaking her head and making wild motions with her arms. Her steps were wobbly and awkward as she tried approaching them on the rounded platform.

"Oh my god! Those kids!"

"What the hell do they think they're doing? Playing around like that?"

"The hell's going on? That girl looks like she's gonna drop that kid!"

"Someone call the police!"

Cellphones and frantic conversation exploded in less in a few seconds. Everyone around him started calling up family, friends, police, etc. He remained silent, unmoving. He simply watched what was going on up above.

His eyes closed.

"Is this what you wanted?" he whispered to an unknown force. Old memories of what happened before kept repeated inside his head, playing like a broken record.

Gone were the days of childhood innocence.

Gone were the days of fun games and mere play.

Those dreams of playing with the light-haired girl up above trying so desperately so save the boy who'd replaced him, they haunted him from day to night. Echoes of children's laughter rang inside his head whenever they were together. In his daze, he imagined a seven-year-old girl smiling hugely at him with open arms, as if waiting for him to run into them.

But he could never go back to those days… it was too late.

"_Mikuo!"_

He remembered clearly how she used to get excited; her dancing blue eyes would shine with life and a big grin would appear.

"_Bet you can't catch me!"_

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 16**

_**Butterfly On Your Right Shoulder**_

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_An eight-year-old boy ran through the tall weeds guarding past. He was red-faced and panting, a slight scowl of worry forming his face. Beads of perspiration formed on his forehead and clung to strands of blue-green hair._

"_Miss Rin! Please… slow down!"_

_A few meters ahead, a cheerful laugh broke out._

"_But that wouldn't be catching me!"_

_A groan escaped from the boy as he broke into a sprint, running faster than ever. He was determined not to be left behind. Giggling, the girl ahead of him ran even faster, holding her stuffed rabbit tightly against her chest._

_The two children ran out of the field and into a fresh clearing of grass. The pair consisted of a seven-year-old girl dressed in a hospital gown, the other was a teal-haired boy around her own age. Unlike the girl, his outfit was a specialized uniform equipped only for his use._

"_Wait…!" the boy panted in-between breaths, "Y-You know your father doesn't like it when you run off like this! Please… miss Rin…! We… need to get… back b-before we get in trouble…!"_

"_Hmph! Daddy should know all work and no play isn't good for his health!" Came the girl's stubborn reply._

_They both finally collapsed on a hillside, both winded and flushed from all the constant running._

"_Okay, miss Rin," Mikuo spoke up firmly after recovering, "you've had your fun. We should really be heading back now." Rin scrunched her face in slight disdain._

"_But we just got here! Don't you wanna stay here for a little bit?" she protested childishly, "We're supposed to have fun sometimes or else we'll get old and gray really fast if we're so busy all the time." Mikuo shook his head at her._

"_Miss Rin-"_

"_Hey. I told you not to call me that, it's weird." Rin pouted at him, "Friends aren't supposed to call each other weird stuff like 'miss' or anything." Mikuo blinked in surprise._

_Friends?_

_With the boss's daughter? Rin Takashi?_

_She considered him a friend?_

_Rin frowned slightly, fearing her statement wasn't true. "We're friends, right?" Mikuo snapped out of his trance, nodding hurriedly to please his mistress._

_"Y-Yes, yes! Of course!"_

_"Really?"_

_A strange feeling washed over him when an elated expression took over her face._

_"YAAAY~!" Her smile broadened as she flung her arms around his neck. "I __**finally**__ have a new friend!" she exclaimed, surprising him by suddenly throwing her arms around him with a squeal._

_"I finally have someone besides mommy to have fun with everyday now instead of always having to be locked in that room all by myself... finally, I won't have to be alone anymore..." Her voice grew strangely quiet and he was even more surprised when she clung to him even tighter. "You know, I've never had any friends like this before... besides from mommy and mr. Hoppy. Mikuo's my very, very first and only friend."_

_Mikuo nearly recoiled back in shock._

_He was her first friend? That's it?_

_The boy recalled once having friends at school, including Miku, his stern but affectionate twin sister._

_'Though now, things have changed.' He thought to himself sadly._

_The only thing he had was the girl in front of him._

_"I don't know why mommy and daddy always keep me locked up. Is it because I'm strange?" The girl asked in a little voice. Her face was hidden behind his shoulder as she continued hugging him. "Daddy always tells me I'm special, that I'm his special little girl and that bad people are out there and they'll do very bad things to me if I go out... but I don't believe that. Mommy's not bad, and she always goes outside to visit grandpa." Mikuo remained silent._

_Her shoulders started shaking. "But... am I the one who's bad? Is that why I can't have friends or go to school? Mommy always looks sad whenever she comes to see me... she always cries. She tells me the only reason why I can't visit grandpa with her is because I have germs. Bad germs. And that I'll only make him sick if I see him... she tells me that even when I tell her I really want to play with him again." Her voice trailed._

_"Sometimes I wonder... do they hate me?"_

_The wind rustled, making the rest of her words fall silent. Mikuo felt his own self stiffen. His mistress was unhappy. That her own mother and father were the cause of her unhappiness. The reason why she wasn't smiling at him right now._

_The thought made him quiver with anger at his own helplessness._

_'Selfish hypocrites...' His blue-green eyes narrowing into dark slits. __He finally reached up and patted her head comfortingly. __"No one could ever hate you," he said, hoping his words were the truth, "miss Rin." That was when she snapped her head up and she shot him a glare._

_"Mi. Ku. O!" She yelled, her mood apparently shifting._

_"Y-Yes?"_

_"Quit calling me that!"_

_The boy blinked in mild confusion. "What? Why?"_

_"Because it's weird!" the seven-year-old replied hotly._

_"Weird?" Mikuo blinked several times before shaking his head, "Not at all. It's expected of me to respectfully address the one I serve…" He said, "that's you." It was Rin's turn to blink._

"_Eeeeh? Who told you that?"_

_Before he could stop himself, he blurted, _"_Your father." Rin's mouth dropped open at what she heard. She immediately stood up._

_"WHAT? How could daddy say such a thing?" She puffed her cheeks out indignantly, obviously annoyed. Her anger melted away as she shook her head with a sigh, "Oh well. Just call me Rin from now on."_

_Mikuo shook his head sadly. "I can't do that. Your father wouldn't be pleased to know I'm ignoring orders…" he answered sullenly, "You are my mistress and I am your servant."_

_Rin sighed, "Okay...," She got to her feet, dusting the front of her gown before proclaiming loudly, "Mikuo, as your mistress, I order you to call me Rin!" He gaped at her for several moments until she suddenly beamed, "Now, say it!"_

_For the first time in days, he smiled, startling the girl. He then got on one knee and grasped her right hand in a pose of utmost honor and respect. His content smile broadened as he looked up at her._

_"I am at your service, Rin." With that, he kissed her hand. She blinked several times, a small blush sprouted her cheeks._

_Then she laughed._

_He smiled._

_Neither children seemed to notice a butterfly flapping its purple wings over their heads, quietly fluttering past._

* * *

Mikuo smiled to himself faintly.

Perhaps he should've reconsidered coming out here on such short notice. Especially with the ruthless Miki already turning a public place into one of her own demented playgrounds. Though the thought itself was amusing in a dark way. Mikuo then had to make a note to scold himself for thinking such naughty thoughts.

No longer was he a child, but a twisted creature behind the painted smiles and deceiving cheer. But, he surely wasn't after the death of his precious little princess, no... he was doing something important for her.

And only for her.

But in any case... should he go on about helping his childhood friend?

Or should he let Miki have her fun?

Hm. Both thoughts were vaguely amusing considering what was happening was at least half of his fault. But if Miki were to harm Kagamine Len in any way, death and beyond, Rin would surely lose herself...

The corners of his lips turned upward into a bright smile.

Ah. Decisions, decisions.

Which one was he to choose?

Mikuo's thoughts drifted aside as he watched as the red-haired amazon sneer and insult Rin in their native language. The dangling boy continued to squirm against her hold while at the same time trying to return to the platform instead of falling to death below.

Mikuo sighed.

He really didn't have a choice, did he?

Just as he took a step forward, he caught sight of a little green-haired boy wearing a colorful suit and tie walking a few paces ahead of him, staring up at the scene with his jaw slacked open slightly. Possibly from shock. Then, a look of uncertainty immediately crossed his features. He looked as if he were trying to decide what to do.

_'Ah...'_ Mikuo observed with a hint of awe. So, little Ryuto had finally arrived. Just when he was about to overreact too.

Mikuo stepped back to his former place with a faint smirk resting on his face.

Oh well. He wasn't up for playing hero anyway.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

The air was cold around us. Up on the high Ferris wheel, I could only watch in horror as Len, gasping and choking, tried to loosen the woman's hold around his neck.

"R... in..." Was all he managed to choke out.

_"Don't hurt him!" _I screamed, tears coursing freely down my face. I was trying not to have the red-haired woman think I was approaching her threateningly, "_Please!"_ She grinned maliciously and her blood-red eyes flashed. The wind whipped past me, making me gasp and sway slightly before managing to regain my balance.

_"Say if I do," _she teased in a childish manner_, "What would you do about it, Project Rin?"_ Her fingers tightened around Len's closed throat, emitting a strange noise from him as he squirmed frantically now. His face was now a deadly purple...

"K... k...!"

_"STOP IT!" _I half-shrieked, half-begged, shaking slightly as I took a few wobbly steps forward on the cart. _"Why are you hurting him? He did nothing to you!" _I saw Len making wild motions to me with his arms to stay back, for once, I ignored him. "_It's me you want, isn't it? Just let him go! Take me instead!"_ The lady's grin widened, she licked her lips hungrily.

_"Screaming, begging, crying... hah! This is nothing like I expected!" A_ loud cackle erupted, "_How stupid! Instead of facing a deadly machine from Hell... I get __**this**__?" _She shook her head in disapproval. _"What a waste. All I see is a pathetic, crying wench begging for her boyfriend's life."_ A sardonic grin formed. _"Well, sorry to disappoint you. But I'm not exactly the sympathetic type... and I know for a damn fact I didn't travel all the way over here just to see this."_ She turned to Len with a sickeningly sweet smile, "Hey, hot stuff. It's a shame I'm gonna have to kill you..." she nearly pouted as a single finger traced his jaw line, "you really are too cute to die." A mixture of horror and shock contorted his face as he now started clawing at her arm through the thick attire.

Extreme pain and fear grasped at my insides, twisting them around.

No... the thought of losing Len...

No...

NO!

"No, no, no! Not Len! NOT LEN…!" I began screaming and crying at the top of my lungs. Tears streamed down my face and spilled to the ground. _"YOU CAN'T...!" _For a moment, I was sure even the crazed girl looked taken aback. But seeing Len's wide eyes and weakening state, a shrieking cry ripped from my throat as I cried the name that meant everything to me.

**"LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!"**

The exploded cry burst into unexpected and powerful sound waves, making the entire wheel rock and the oxygen around us grow increasingly thick. The cry's pitch rang louder and higher, making everyone around me, including the woman, suddenly drop Len as she quickly squeezed her eyes and ears shut in agonizing effort to avoid becoming deaf. Her teeth clenched. She was in obvious pain. Len too, had to protect his ears as well

Adrenaline rushed through my head and my senses burned unpleasantly. A rapid drumbeat pounded erratically against my chest, making my whole self swell with all sorts of... emotions.

What was happening?

_BA-BUMP, BA-BUMP, BA-BUMP, BA-BUMP, BA-BUMP, BA-BUMP..._

_**BA-THUMP**__!_

I groaned as pain shot up and down my spine. My senses tingled... I felt as if everything had caught on fire. Electricity danced around the skin of my arms and cold waves splashed over me. My eyesight grew blurred and heavy.

This... this was...?

Suddenly, everything began to darken... so slowly... the weight of my eyelids began to flutter close. A white light absorbed my sight. My lips began to move.

"_VOCALOID MODE:…"_ A metallic voice sounded, I wasn't sure whether or not it was in my head or if I was speaking the words myself. "… _A-ACTIVA…"_

"Rin!" My eyes snapped open. I saw Len's face stricken with grief. He was on his knees, eyes were wide and pleading. He held both arms out to me as if waiting for me to run into them. "RIN!" At that point, my consciousness returned to me. I gasped and blinked several times, shaking my head furiously.

What was wrong with me? I had to stay awake!

A wry chuckle escaped from the red-haired girl as she stumbled to her feet. "Heh. I guess I was wrong about you after all. You _are_ our company's true monster after all…" She turned and met my gaze, passion and bloodlust storming in her eyes. A wide, sarcastic smirk lined her once pretty lips, which was now cracked and bleeding, "And here I was getting worried about our playtime…" Her smirk widened into a grin.

"This will be fun."

Len, pale-faced but brave, stood up and gave her a scowl. "H-Hey! I don't know who you are or what your problem is, but what the hell do you want with us? We never did anything to you!" She laughed scornfully.

"Hah! If only you knew." With that, the girl lunged for Len like an animal. She grasped her hand around his neck and into the same chokehold she had him in before, lifting him up effortlessly with brute power.

"Arr…gh!"

"No! Len!" I cried out again, running towards them without thinking. At that moment, however, the girl leaped high into the air and landed on the next cart, her landing making it rock slightly. As I ran at the edge of the cart I was still on, I could only stand there and helplessly watch as the young woman leaned down at ripped the hinges from the cart they were on. With a groan, it started to slide dangerously to the side.

"S-Stop! What the hell are you doing…?' Len managed to choke out. The wind picked up its speed, our hair whipping around us. The girl ignored him and smiled deviously at me.

"Let's play a game, Project Rin." She said to me, "Since you've grown so attached to this little animal, why don't test just how willing you are to keep his life…"

"Get… get back, Rin!" Len breathed out, giving me a wild look, "Whatever you do, don't get hurt…!" A snort escaped from the girl as she rolled her eyes.

"How sentimental." She quickly ripped the attached cord from the cart, yanking it sideways and leaping with Len onto the next cart. The cart they had been on gave an ear-piercing groan as it slide over and hung carelessly over the side of the giant wheel, it dangled teasingly over the crowd that formed below. The couple inside the cart starting screaming and yelling in horror, both pounding on the glass.

My eyes widened in terror.

"No!"

"A-Are you… crazy? Don't drop it…!" came Len's rasping voice.

Insane giggles exploded from the girl as she grinned widely at me. Her cardinal hair whipped wildly around her frame, making her appearance similar to a fire itself. She grasped the wire in-between her fingers which prevented the cart from crashing to the ground below.

"What are you…? STOP!"

The girl howled with laughter as she swung her arms out to the side of the tilting wheel. Both the cart and Len dangling high in the air, much to my horror. "In this game, there are rules!" She announced giddily, "You see, Project Rin, you broke a VERY important rule… and for that, your daddy's gonna punish you!"

I gasped.

An image of a tall, pale man with blond hair wearing a white lab coat flashed before my eyes.

"My… father?"

"You ran away and decided to play house with these disgusting humans. Take this kid for example," The girl spat in disgust, "you even decided to flirt with him along the way! Stupid wench."

I stared at her, unable to speak.

"There are difficult choices to make, my girl. Before we head home, why don't we continue on with this final game?" she said with a hateful smirk, "Which one should I drop?" She held out Len and the couple's cart even further above the crowd below.

Horror built within me.

Len gasped and struggled. "N-No…!"

"The boyfriend… or the couple?"

"NO! YOU CAN'T…! DON'T!"

"Shut up and make up your mind! This is what happens when you don't come home after dark!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, her grin blazing with insane pride, "NOW _CHOOSE_!" And her fingers slipped.

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_**Kagamine Mansion**_

_**5:11 PM**_

**General POV**

Dell Honne, aged in his early forties, leaned over against the kitchen table. He sighed, tilting his glasses up the bridge of his nose to prevent it from falling. A few minutes earlier, he had returned home from the clinic and was now busying himself with patient files.

"I brought you some coffee." A cheery voice rang airily throughout the kitchen. He didn't have to look up to see who it was as he received the drink.

"Thank you."

"Goodness gracious! You're still writing up those papers?" Nami chortled, tossing her hair dramatically, "Mou. Take a break already!" Dell sighed at his wife's childishness.

"This is serious work. If I don't get these papers checked before tomorrow, my patients won't be able to get their medicine." he said as if explaining to a child. A pout formed on her face. A loud, melodramatic sigh escaped from the woman as she sprawled her body out on the table.

"Oh, it's not fair!" She wailed mournfully, "Even Rin-chan betrayed me! She should've stayed behind with me so we could've done some bra shopping together… I'm the one who knows she moved up to a new size, but instead she prefers spending time with those idiot sons of ours, not to mention their friends! What about me?"

Dell rose an eyebrow, "Unless I'm mistaken, I clearly remember you screaming with joy and doing cartwheels around the office when you told me how supportive Rin's friends were, to willingly take her out for some enjoyment even though she's supposed to be grounded… aren't you supposed to be happy?" Nami sighed and smiled.

"Well, I am happy for Rin-chan. She's an absolute darling and she needs friends Meiko-chan and Shion-kun… but still!" A choked, melodramatic cry escaped from her throat, "I can't believe this is happening! Those kids get to do stuff like kicking back at a theme park while us adults get stuck with the boring homework! Life is so _cruel_ when you grow up!" and she promptly began crying on the table. Dell sighed.

Really.

Sometimes he forgot why he married this woman.

"Nami…," he began patiently before a small object starting vibrating in his right pocket. He reached down and pulled out his cell-phone, seeing it was going off with an unknown I.D. showing up.

'**Strange,' **he thought. Paying no mind to his wailing wife, he answered the call.

"Dell Honne speaking." (**A/N: It's required for Dell to pronounce his name in the western manner, since he also has English patients. Many people mistake his first name as 'Honne-san' because of that.)**

A chuckle.

"_Hello, Honne-san. It's me."_

That voice… it couldn't be!

The man froze in his seat, blinking rapidly in disbelief. He opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. His throat had closed up.

"_Oh, break my heart, Honne-san, surely you do remember me?" _Dell could've sworn he heard the smirk in his voice. _"It's been a long time. About seven years, right?"_ Chills ran up and down his spine as he recalled the dark days of his past.

'**Impossible. This boy can't be alive… he's been dead for years!' **Dell swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Yes." he finally answered in reply.

For a moment, the other line was silent.

"Who're you talking to, sweetheart?" Nami asked, apparently recovering from her trance and looking at her husband curiously. But he didn't answer her.

"Mikuo," Dell said sternly, his strength returning, "why are you calling?" Finally, after several moments, the boy answered.

"… _They're here."_ he whispered, _"And they've been watching all of you for a while… tracking down Project Rin's every move, not to mention the people around her."_ Dell's eyes widened and he nearly fell out of the chair in shock.

"T… _they_?" He whispered faintly, his throat parched and dry, "you don't mean…"

"_Crypton Future Media."_ The boy on the other line answered,_ "Leon's mad, and he wants his daughter back. From what it looks like, it seems he'll go any distance to reach her. Even going so far as to operate the VOCALOID system... and in such a public area too."_ Dell's face paled.

The man pushed back his chair abruptly, causing Nami stepped back in surprise.

"Where is Rin? Answer me right now!"

"D-Dell?"

A sadistic chuckle.

"_The place where you sent her and her friends for some 'fun."_

The amusement park!

"_Oh, I think you'd better hurry. I don't think she can hang on for much longer, she's practically in peril~."_ Mikuo's voice sounded happily as he ended the sentence with a delighted hum, _"It really is a shame I have to sit back and watch all this… though it is quite a show~." _Dell narrowed his eyes and growled.

"A _show_? You think this is a game?" Dell snarled, "Whose side are you on anyway?"

An exaggerated sigh, _"Whose side indeed?" _Then, he chuckled, _"That's for you to decide, Honne-san~."_ Before Dell could reply, a click sounded before a dial tone rang in the receiver.

Mikuo had hung up.

"Damn!" Dell hissed as he snapped his cell shut.

Nami, confused to what was going on, frowned at him, "Who were you talking to just now? Why did I hear Rin-chan being mentioned?" She demanded as she crossed her arms. Dell shook his head as he hurriedly rushed out of the kitchen, she followed him. "What's going on? Tell me! Did something happen at the park?" He whirled to face her.

"Nami," he started in a very serious voice, "do you remember everything I told you about Rin months ago? About who she is? How she was raised in the facility? Do you remember what I told you about her father?"

Nami stared at him shortly before gasping, "D-Dell, honey! Don't joke like this! Y-You're scaring me…!" she attempted to laugh, but instead burst into a fit of nervous chuckles. She tried to smile, but her face tightened with unease and worry.

"I've never been more serious than I am right now." Dell answered, he grasped his wife's shoulders securely, "The company has found her, they're trying to take her back as we speak." Nami's eyes widened. She'd been told all sorts of terrible things about Rin, especially those concerning her abuse.

As a strong-willed mother with a big heart, Nami was _not_ about to stand by and let Rin suffer through such horrible treatment ever again!

"Th-they can't! I won't let them!" Nami spoke out breathlessly, her normally cheerful face dissipating into a look of fright. "I won't have them take Rin-chan! We need to do something, Dell! We need to go the park this instant!"

"You're right, you're right." Dell chided, trying his best to sooth his panicking wife. "We do have to hurry. If Rin operates her VOCALOID mode… Len, Kaito and all the people there will be in danger." he instantly regretted those words when Nami's eyes widened even further.

A horrified gasp escaped from the woman, "No! Not Len! Not my precious baby!"

Dell sighed and shook his head. He knew he couldn't waste any more time. He quickly ushered Nami outside and flipped out his phone once again. He dialed a special number he knew by heart and waited for his call to be picked up…

"_Yes? Kamui Gakupo speaking."_

Despite the situation, he found his mood lightening a little bit. Hearing the voice of his old friend brought a very faint smile to his lips.

"Kamui. This is Honne."

A gasp sounded on the other line, _"D-! Er, I-I mean, Honne! You're…?"_ the high school professor cleared his throat. _"How's Kaito doing?"_ His voice sounded a bit anxious. He sighed and frowned once again as he looked out the window.

Dark clouds were swirling in the sky. A thunderstorm was brewing, and that could only mean bad news for everyone, especially Rin.

"Project Rin's case isn't private anymore… it's gotten personal. Leon's back."

"_Wh-! LEON? W-w-w-what? W-why? HOW?" _The man sputtered in disbelief. Dell nearly chuckled to himself, Kamui always had a problem with stuttering whenever he became nervous or unsettled. Those were the days back working inside the lab corridors… such good people he worked with. Including… Kaito's mother.

His thoughts wandered to the past again, remembering the once quiet, mysterious woman who used to be able to wrap her finger around him, leaving him helpless and yearning for her gentle yet burning touch…

"_I love you… Dell."_

"_I'm pregnant. I-I don't know what to say… I'm finally going to become a mother…! I'm going to have our child!"_

_"Kaiko's going to have a sibling! A son!"_

"_He's growing inside me, baby. What kind of name should we give him?"_

"Haku…" he murmured inaudibly.

"_Honne? A-a-a-are you there? An-…! Answer me!"_

The middle-aged man snapped out of his trance, inhaling sharply and focusing his mind back on the current task. "I… Call everyone up, Gakupo. We have a job to do."

* * *

**Len's POV**

Desperation.

Helplessness.

Panic.

There weren't enough words to describe how I felt at that moment as I twisted around in the air. The cold air mercilessly whipped my body around, slapping against my clothes and skin. Everything was spinning around me and it was difficult to breathe. I did the only thing I could do:

I screamed.

All I knew was that I was extremely and undeniably _terrified. _I was falling into death's hands… and I couldn't do anything about it. I squeezed my eyes shut.

Was this… was this the end?

"Len!"

Then, I looked up and realized in horror that Rin was falling right above me… and she was right beneath the falling cart! Her arms spread wide open towards me, her face contorted into a look of desperation as she reached out to me.

"Rin!" I yelled and closed the remaining distance between us. My arms flung around her in a tight embrace. She suddenly glanced up and looked directly above at the couple screaming inside the cart. Fear grasped at my insides when I realized we'd get crushed.

Then, something unexpected happened.

Rin shot her hand out and grabbed the long, steel cord attached to the cart. She gripped it tightly and looking at me, she shouted, "Len! Hold onto me tightly and don't let go!" I obeyed her without thinking, tightening my hold around her frame. With a cry, her other hand grabbed onto the railing of the Ferris wheel, halting our fall.

My eyes shot open in terror.

"Rin, no! Don't do tha-!" The cart slammed to a halt and hung helplessly a few yards away from the ground. Rin gave a choked cry at the harsh impact but determinedly held onto the cord while grasping the side of the railing. I gaped in awe.

Amazing… how in the world was she doing this?

"You did it…" I managed to say.

Her fingers dug into the banister, making the steel sink slightly.

"Sl…" She panted, looking at me desperately, "s-slide down…" My jaw hung open in shock. As I was about to give a rejecting answer, I noticed the heavy sweat glistening on her face. I suddenly realized I was giving her a hard time clinging to her like I was. But if I (safely) slid down to the cart's roof, all she would have to do was lower it to the ground without hurting anyone…

But then, I frowned, where would that leave her?

"Please hurry!" Rin urged, her forearms started trembling. I looked at her with forlorn, feeling like a complete burden.

"No. I won't leave you like this!"

"Have no concern for me! Everything will definitely, definitely be alright!" Rin answered sharply, "Trust in me, Len! You have to!"

I looked at her in amazement, "Rin…" I hesitated, "but-"

Rin shot me a look of agitation. "Trust in _me_!" She snapped, her blue eyes sparking with anger and desperation. "Slide down to the cart, _now_!" For a moment I was surprised, she had never barked like that before, especially not to me. But I knew I was being annoying, so reluctantly, I started to loosen my hold around her waist and reached for the cord-

"EYAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!"

Insane, shrieking laughter pierced the air as a streak of red slammed into Rin, causing her to exclaim in surprise and pain. Everything shook and wobbled violently, making my fingers slip.

"Whoa… AAA!" I screamed briefly before my backside crashed down to roof at full-force. A low groan escaped me as I sat up and rubbed my back. I looked up to see the crazy girl flying around on a machine hovercraft, cackling at Rin in their strange language.

"_Idiotin! Hast due eine Ahnung, was ich zu denen, die betrugen in meine Spiele trauen? Wie dumm von dir, die Wahl zu diesen Tieren zu helfen!" (_**Translation: **Idiot girl! Have you any idea what I do to those who dare cheat in my games? How stupid of you, choosing to save these animals!)

Rin scowled in annoyance, looking up at her icily. She was no longer afraid, instead, she looked… _angry._

"_SIE SCHWEIGEN!" _Rin's voice came out harsh, startling the auburn girl. (YOU SHUT UP!) _"Nie… nie in meinem Leben habe ich jemanden getroffen, so vulgar und Rucklaufeturen wie Sie! Spiel mit Menschenleben und Gieben Sie sie beiseite fur die eigene Kranken Vergnugen… Sie nenn deise Menschen Tiere… ABER DAS EINZIGNE, TIER HIER SIND __**SIE**__!"_ She shrieked at the girl in an angry, distorted voice. Her once soft, gentle gaze became cold and violent with fury. Her rage-filled foreign words and snapping gaze carved deep into my mind. Even though I couldn't understand, I knew this was the first time I've ever seen her lose her temper.

(Never… never in my entire life have I met someone so vulgar and recoiling such as you! Playing with people's lives for your own amusement, and then casting them aside as if they were meaningless… You call these people animals… BUT THE ONLY ANIMAL HERE IS **YOU**!)

So, _this _was Rin was like when she actually got mad…

I shuddered. To think that days ago, Kaito actually came up with the idea of taking her oranges without permission just to see how she would react. Luckily, he was far to busy that afternoon.

Then, I saw something.

As Rin glared at the girl, I noticed her eyes were turning a weird shade of _green_. My eyebrows rose. Her pupils were shrinking and she seemed to be almost trapped in a daze. Then, something flashed on her skin, I peered closely and- I stared in shock.

Was that… _electricity_?

Blue sparks flickered and lined her clenched fists, sparking in the heat of her rage. I blinked multiple times and shook my head, trying to clear my head.

No way. I had to be seeing things. There was no way I was seeing Rin like that, just no way.

I quickly looked back at Rin, expecting my sanity to return. Instead, I now saw electric currents running up and down her arms. She didn't seem to notice it though.

Okay, what was going on?

"Psst. Boy." A weird-sounding voice called out softly. Blinking, I looked around. "Boy! Down here!" It suddenly hissed, making me look down. Hanging below on the wheel's railing was a small, green-haired boy who looked about to be at least a kindergartner. My senses grew high in alarm as I realized if he was up here, he could get seriously fall.

"What are you doing up here, little guy? You can't be here!" I whispered frantically, trying not to draw attention near. The kid frowned at me in disapproval.

"It's you of all people who shouldn't be up here, Kagamine Len." The boy answered firmly in his weird voice, "You are the one who is in risk of becoming fatally wounded." I gaped at him in shock.

How did he know my name?

Before I could say anything, all words left my throat as soon as I witnessed him yank open the cart doors barehanded and help the confused couple climb down the railing on the opposite side. He then reached out to me with a single hand "Grab it."

I was so speechless, I couldn't speak or even move.

The boy looked at me impatiently, "Do come on now! We haven't got all day!" he urged.

"But… Rin…" Was what I managed to say.

For a moment, the boy's face changed. I could've sworn I saw a look of sadness cross his premature features, but the second time I looked, it had vanished. He instead held serious and stern (which looked pretty ironic for a kid). "There's nothing you can do…" he looked high up where the Rin was, "As her operated servant, I must soon assist in annihilating those who are perceived as threats."

"Threats?" I repeated stupidly.

"Yes," Without another word, the boy jumped high and yanked both my arms forward in mid-air. I nearly yelped if it weren't for him clamping a tiny hand over my mouth as we landed on a small platform.

Now I was _really _confused.

Getting down on both knees, I grabbed the kid's shoulders firmly and stared directly into his beady onyx eyes. "Okay, you. I have a few questions for you. Who are you, how the he-… heck do you know my name, and what do you know about Rin?" I almost found myself swearing, but seeing how young the kid looked, I held my tongue. He answered quickly.

"I am GachapoidR3000 of Crypton, a robot programmed to serve Project Rin, age 14 years old. My duty is to protect Project Rin, to remain loyal by her side. My awakening has been confirmed by Project Rin's VOCALOID mode. That answers your first question." My jaw dropped in disbelief. "I know your name from the personal relationships she had made from interacting with humans, you are apparently on the top of the list." I felt my cheeks redden at that statement. "Thirdly, Rin is my mistress whom I will serve for eternity. She is the ultimate seven-year masterpiece representing our company's true power… the result force of machinery and D.N.A rebirth itself as an ultimate bionic weapon." he declared with pride, "Nature itself has been outmatched."

"Bionic… weapon?" I repeated slowly, my insides twisting painfully.

GachapoidR300 shook his head, "Rin isn't who you think she is. Dell hasn't been completely honest with you, has he?"

D-Dell?

At my shocked silence, he continued, "The most important part you should know about my mistress is that you should never, _ever_ physically strike her or provide emotional trauma… because she will activate to her VOCALOID mode."

"VOCALOID mode? What-" I started, only to be cut off.

"Her self-defense system. If she becomes physically threatened or emotionally unstable, her other side will activate and she will destroy any targeting threat in sight." The android pointed up to the where Rin was, "Those symptoms you see; eye color change, pupil reduction, rigid movements, electrical current flow in the upper body… those are all signs of the activation." He turned to look at me, "Once she activates, she becomes destructive to the point where it's increasingly difficult for her to revert."

I looked at him, believing and disbelieving. A terrible lump swelled in my throat, I swallowed nervously. "So what are we supposed to do?" I tried to sound confident but failed. Horribly. "The people down there'll get hurt if she activates! And that's if the insane weirdo girl up there doesn't get her first!"

"Unluckily for you, Rin is a very weak person… she cannot handle human emotions very well."

My gaze flickered to the red-haired girl. She was gaping at Rin slightly, apparently aware of her new appearance. Then, her grin returned.

"_Sie konnen nicht reden…" _she said with a dark chuckle, _"Immererhin bist du es nicht anders von mir."_

(You can't talk…) (You're no different than me)

It sounded as if the butterfly tattoo girl had done nothing but added fuel to the fire. Rin looked angrier than ever. Her eyes narrowed into swarming dark-green slits and her pupils shrank even further. _"ICH BIN __**NICHTS **__WIE SIE!"_ she screamed, her voice sounding more cold and indifferent. Almost like a robot…

(I AM _NOTHING_ LIKE YOU!)

"We needn't concern for Miki." GachapoidR3000 with a cluck of his tongue, "We needn't concern for her at all." Without warning, he suddenly yanked me down towards the railing and urged me to climb down. "But right now, my mission is to get you out of the way… the rest will solve itself."

"H-Hey! Who do you think you are, pushing me around like this?" I protested, trying to loosen the kid's iron grip on my jacket collar. "I may be a pushover, but I'm not about to let myself get pushed around by a kindergartner!" The kid looked at me with narrowed eyes in slight agitation.

"Hold your tongue, Kagamine. You obviously don't realize how much trouble it was climbing all the way up here unnoticed just to get your hide out of harm's way. Apparently, this is the thanks I get." GachapoidR3000 scolded me with all the sternness in his tone, making me feel like a complete idiot. "I really ought to leave you up here, seeing as your foolish ignorance pertains nothing more than an annoyance. But since mistress Rin wants you safe and sound, I have no choice but to make sure that happens." he paused and glared at me, "But know this, Kagamine. I am no child nor am I human. This form is simply synthetic, and it's only used to blend in at the necessary times. While my mistress may be too softhearted for my liking, I most certainly am _not_," he gave me a final shove towards the ladder, "now move it."

It was all I could do keep from myself from answering with a sarcastic retort.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

This burning feeling… what was it exactly?

"**A purple butterfly on your right shoulder,We kissedIn the corner of the roomI learned what it's like to have a heartrending feelingSounds of a piano rebounded…**

**Dissonance in my head…"**

Strange words echoed inside my throbbing head, making ache and burn. I slowly felt my consciousness slipping away as I looked at the butterfly tattoo girl in front of me. I sighed to myself.

It was disappointing. Just minutes ago, I'd finally felt the happiness I ached for so long, having my warm and loving friends surround me with the security of their presence. Len too. He had finally noticed me.

But now…

It all vanished."Ah…" I breathed out before something wet land on my right cheek. I blinked and looked up, seeing the sky had grown dark and cloudy. Raindrops were beginning to fall. My eyelids felt heavy for some odd reason.

"**A purple butterfly on your right shoulder**

**We kissed in the corner of the room...**

**I learned what it's likeTo have a heartrending feeling,**

**Sounds of a piano rebounded,**

**Dissonance in my head…"**

"_So, you're finally showing your true colors now, are you?" _My gaze snapped towards the girl, her luscious cardinal hair whipping around her in the wind. She gave me an impish, almost childish grin, "Wonderful. I've been waiting forever." I struggled to listen to her voice. It was getting harder to hear, she sounded so far away…

"_Look over the horizon, it seems we have an audience." _Blinking droopily, I followed her to where she was looking at.

Police cars were parked at the front gate, the sirens blaring off. The people had been forced to evacuate the area and behind the yellow tapes. Many of them were pointing and screaming at us, their faces full of fright and wonder. Were they scared of us?

Len… I needed to help Len and everyone else…

"_Stay awake right now, Project Rin. I have some things I want you to hear,"_ The tattoo girl told me, smiling. She continued to crouch there on her black hovercraft, which was whirring mechanically. I continued to dangle there on the railing, still clinging to the cord connecting with the cart. _"You can let go of the cart now, it seems your boyfriend and the couple have already escaped."_ she sniffed in disgust. Looking down I saw she was right, Len had disappeared and the cart's doors had been ripped open…

Sighing shakily, I finally allowed my fingers to release the cord.

So tired.

"_Poor thing, it seems you really can't remember anything at all…"_ The young woman cooed as she drew nearer towards me. With a single sharp fingernail, she scratched a smooth line across my cheek, making it cut open and blood. But I felt too tired to whap her away.

"_Can't…"_ I murmured back, inwardly surprised at how robotic and indifferent my voice sounded. My arms felt as if they were on fire, as if flames were swallowing them up. It was so _painful_. _"Hurts…"_ I croaked, breathing heavily.

The girl pouted at me in mock sympathy. _"I bet it does, girlie. I bet it does."_ Then she grinned sardonically and circled around me as if I were a prey. _"But you know what? I'm about to tell you a few secrets that will hurt much __**worse**__."_ She let out a light cackle and circled around me faster. _"Tell me, Rin. Do you remember how you were born?"_ At those words, horrible images sprang up from the back of my mind. I gasped.

Pain, voices, needles, woman screaming, crying, lab room… it all came at me full-force.

"No… no…!" I whispered, my voice sounding normal again. "Don't! Don't want to…!" I shook it all away.

"Don't want to what?" The red-haired girl's jeering voice cut into my trance, "_Don't want to remember?_"

"_No!"_ I said.

"_Too bad! That's the wrong answer! You weren't born like other humans, you were born inside a lab testing room! You lived in isolation in throughout your entire childhood!"_

My eyes widened.

"_Daddy… when can I go outside?"_

"…"

"_Daddy?"_

"_Someday, sweetheart. Someday."_

Pain filled my head at the memory. I groaned and clutched at it with my free hand. _"Stoooop…"_ My voice came out drone-like again. It felt as if something heavy were weighing inside my chest. The girl only laughed maliciously.

"_Next question, who is your daddy?"_

I gasped again, the pain inside my head throbbing even harder.

"_RIN! I KEEP TELLING YOU ARE FORBIDDEN TO PLAY WITH THE OTHER EXPERIMENTS THEY ARE NOT TOYS!"_

"_But, daddy…! They're my friends-!"_

"_THEY ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS, THEY ARE __**FAILURES**__! YOU WERE NOT RAISED TO SYMPATHSIZE WITH FILTHY CREATURES SUCH AS THESE! NOW GET BACK INTO LAB 1 AND PERFORM THOSE EXCERISES WITH LILY!"_

"_Leon, please! Don't frighten her so!"_

"_Please no, daddy! Lily's too scary…! She hates me! She always hits me and makes me bleed and-!"_

"_DO AS YOU'RE TOLD!"_

A sobbing moan escaped from me as I desperately fought down the images. A terrible pain paralyzed my entire body, preventing me from moving. I shivered and shook, my wide eyes swelling up with tears. _"Stop it… no…"_

"_Wrong answer again!" _The tattoo girl practically screeched in my ear, giggling insanely with her eyes wide in ecstasy. _"The correct answer is… Leon Takeshi! The CEO of the company your birth took place… also the place where hell awaited you~."_ I grit my teeth and dug a handful of my hair, yanking it in effort to distract me from the other worse pain.

"_Next question~! Are you a human… or a monster like me?" _She laughed joyously, swirling around in her hovercraft as if she were trying to purposely intimidate me. _"Hurry up, Project Rin! Answer the question!"_

"_N… ooo…" _I choked out, the tears coursing down my cheeks.

"_NO STOP STOP PLEASE! I'M SORRY DON'T…N-AAAAAAAAAAAAA! STOP PLEEEASE!" A man came into view, it looked as if he were surrounded inside a dark alleyway with a green dumpster in the very back. Two other men lay backed up against the wall, watching in horror as their companion was having his arms ripped off._

_A pale hand came into view, resting against the front of the man's neck before- "AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRGG…!" Blood spattered everywhere as his throat was violently ripped out. A choking gasp remained of the man before the hand released him. The conscious men huddled in the corner stared in horror as the shadowy figure approached, taking slow steps towards them._

_The first man whimpered, he had a grizzly brown beard and wore a dark ski cap. The other one held the first one close, he apparently had no hair and no shirt on… his pants had fallen to his knees, as if he were….!_

I blinked once. Twice. Then, my eyes widened in horror and realization. No… this was when…! This was when I went to the mall with Len and Kaito!

This memory was…!

_The footsteps came to a halt as a pair of glowing bright-green eyes stared down mercilessly at the two men. Heavy, mechanical breathing sounded in the dark. The thing tilted its head as the light finally hit its face._

_That thing… it was inhumane._

_That thing… _

_It was __**me**__._

_Its mouth slanted open as two words dropped out in a drone-like tone. It turned to the second man, "TARGET ACQUIRED." And it shot out both arms at an terrifying speed, cramming both hands deep into the next man's throat._

_A throaty, gurgling noise._

_A long, mournful scream._

_Blood spattered on the wall._

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I wailed, shaking my head furiously. "_I'm not…! I'm not a monster!"_ Gasping sobs erupted from my throat. Salty tears rolled down my cheeks as I shook pitifully with hurt and betrayal. _"I'M NOT A MONSTER!"_

_BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, __**BA-THUMP**__…_

"_I CAN'T BE! I'M NOT I'M NOT I'M NOT!"_

_**BA-THUMP, BA-BUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-BUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-BUMP!**_

"_I'm a human! I'M A HUMAN! I'm a human…! J-Just like everyone else! I'm just like Len! I'M A HUMAN! I'M NOT A MONSTER…!"_ My cries ended when a roaring laughter started up again, silencing my voice to muffled sobs.

"_Comfort yourself with all the lies you want, but face it, you are not one of them and you never will be." _Her cruel words cut me like glass shards, leaving me to writhe and bleed. One of her fingers lifted my chin up, forcing me to meet her mocking gaze, _"You are no more than a synthetic being, born into a cold room with needles and drugs injected in every part of your body, trained and raised into a violent freak like me… and like the rest of us."_ she said with a smile, _"You and I, Project Rin, we are the twisted images emerged from the depths of mankind's greed and bloodlust… we were born to kill and destroy everything and everyone around us. That's what we are, Project Rin, we are monsters."_ I shook my head mutely. The girl sighed and laughed, _"On the other hand, humanity doesn't go without its flaws, just look at this fucking planet we live on! Everywhere you look has sex, drugs or any whatnot. Hah! They're no better than us!"_

I didn't answer.

I _couldn't_.

"_But anyway, onto the last question,"_ The woman said, leaning in close to meet my broken gaze. _"Do you remember what happened to your mother?" she smirked, "… __**Miriam**__?"_

"My mo… ther...?"

"_Don't be sad, sweetheart. You're a very special girl. Daddy just doesn't like it if you don't show off your potential like he wants you to."_

Miriam…

"_Oh… you're just too cute for me to take out! Everyone will want to take you away from me if we go outside, I want you all to myself, honey."_

I gasped.

Mommy…!

"_I'm sorry…" She gasped._

_Mommy staggered back while clutching her bleeding stomach. The entire front of her lab coat was bloodstained. She looked in my direction, her beautiful green eyes welling up with tears. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Rin." She collapsed to the ground with a painful smile._

_Memories of my child self calmly strode over to her. My face had been darkened, so there was no expression shown._

"_Forgive me…" she held out both arms towards me, "Please forgive me."_

No…

_I stood over her, unmoving._

"_Please forgive me, Rin…" Blood tainted her wide smile._

Red colored my vision.

A searing pain ripped through my body, tearing it to pieces.

"**I'm having a nightmare,**

**Wake me up, hurry.**

**A beginning is always trivial, right…?**

I didn't want to think anymore, I didn't want to remember any of this.

I wanted it all to end.

**"Don't ask me where I feel good,**

**I can't give you an answer.**

**A beautiful night deluded me and I've lost my way…"**

I clutched my head, trying to soothe the burning ache I felt at that moment.

Let me forget, let me forget!

**"Make my eyelashes longer, c****reate a crescent shape above the lash lines.**

**Wear a glossed lip."**

"_Understand now? You don't belong here!" _The young woman said and grabbed my chin roughly, _"You're coming home with me!"_

"_H… Home?"_

Images of daddy, mommy and all those scary people in lab coats flashed before my eyes.

No…

Images of blood flooded my vision.

No!

I remembered the darkness, the loneliness, the cold metal doors to always stare at. Pain, it was always pain…

"_I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK!"_

I screamed at the top of my lungs, making my voice sound raspy. I shook my head rapidly and squeezed my eyes shut, the agony traveled up my spine and split my head. I continued screaming and thrashing to make the memories go away.

It hurts…

Whiteness edged the corners of my vision.

"_VOCALOID MODE:…"_

Something snapped as a robotic, metallic voice sounded.

"… _ACTIVATED."_

My eyes snapped open.

"…_!"_

Everything around me went white.

* * *

**General POV**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**A purple butterfly on your right shoulder**

**We kissed in the corner of the room**

**I learned what it's like to have a heartrending feeling**

**Sounds of a piano rebounded, dissonance in my head…**

Rain pounded to the earth and thunder boomed from the sky.

Kiyoteru stepped out of the police car with a black umbrella in hand. His partner, Itsu, stepped out with him. Squad members surrounded the entire front section of the amusement park. People were being restrained and held from entering through the ticket lines.

"Looks like hell." Itsu remarked. Kiyoteru answered with a grunt.

The agents had been called out here due to an emergency call. Apparently, a crowd had formed around a superhuman fight between two unidentified teenagers clashing on top of the Ferris wheel. The department had been flooded with frantic calls. Thus, the two were sent to investigate the matter.

The Ferris wheel passengers had been immediately escorted to the grounds, though one of them was showing restraint against the authorities as they approached.

"Get off me, you assholes! Don't place a fucking hand on me, you hear? I have my damn rights!" An angry young woman with short brown hair was thrashing and squirming against two grim-faced officers who held her. "Y-You men are such pigs! My friends are still up there, let me go!" Beside her, a blue-haired man looking around her age, nudged her with a free arm (as he wasn't resisting).

"Quiet down, Meiko. You're not making this easier."

The brown-haired woman shot him a nasty look, "Like hell I care! Rin and Len are still up there!" Kiyoteru blinked.

'**Rin…?'** he thought to himself.

"Meiko! Kaito!" The heads turned to see a blond teenage boy wearing a green letterman jacket and casual jeans came running out of the gates and waving frantically, beside him was a smaller boy wearing a strange summer suit.

"Len!" Both kids exclaimed at the same time.

"Hiyama, that kid…" Itsu pointed out quietly as the blond approached his friends with a flying embrace, "isn't he linked to your prime suspect?"

The man's eyes narrowed in reply. "You're right, Itsu-chan." Looking at the boy, he remembered without a doubt that it was Kagamine Len… the so-called brother of the imposter Kagamine/Project Rin. But what was he doing here?

Itsu cast him a certain look, "You're not thinking of interrogating him, are you? He's just a kid." she said, fully aware how rough her partner could be. He didn't answer. "Hiyama…" she sighed as he started towards the teenagers. She trudged after him with a groan.

Oh boy, oh boy.

His leather shoes stomped in the fast-pouring puddles, splashing water around. He stared hard at the boy, his dark eyes narrowing even further into slits. Kid or not, the files told the agent how attached Takeshi was to her 'brother'. He surely had to have some connection with her real identity. In fact, he would've brought the boy in for questioning sooner he hadn't so busy sorting matters out with his ex-wife.

The smaller boy with green hair looked up, seeing him approach.

**Dissonance in my head, in the corner of the room**

**Dissonance in my head…**

"You there." The teenage blond, including the rest of them looked to where he was. But he made a point that he was speaking to the blond.

**I got wet with rain, my hair looked frozen**

**I gave vent to loneliness into a toilet bowl**

**I'm shivering and waiting for you…**

"Y… Yes?" the teenager asked hesitantly.

Kiyoteru frowned and pulled out his badge. "Private investigator; Hiyama Kiyoteru, I'm with the Metropolitan Police Department, second division." he stated, "I'm here to ask you a few questions." the officers held a large umbrella over the two. Kagamine Len blinked several times before raising both confusion.

"Me? Uh… why?"

"Project Rin." he simply answered.

"Project Ri-?" Kagamine Len's eyes widened momentarily before narrowing, "You mean my sister?" he asked politely.

"Whatever you want to call her." The agent answered with a passive expression, "But I expect you to regard her properly later on… that she isn't a Kagamine." The boy gave him a hard look, but didn't say anything.

Horrified cries erupted from the crowd behind the gates. People started screaming and yelling.

"Oh my god! Look at that!"

"What on earth is that thing?"

"Someone stop it!"

Kiyoteru turned his head in the direction of the Ferris wheel, his eyes widening. "My god…" A bright green light shone brightly from inside the gates, lighting up the stormy park. Thunder crashed and boomed. A gust of wind roared, causing them to sway.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaah!"

"Whoa! Look up there in the sky!" A woman cried and pointed up to the shadowy figures taking flight in the distance. The agent squinted, trying to make out the shapes through the pounding rain.

The shapes appeared to be two people engaging in aerial combat. Blazing lights surrounded them, crackling and flaring around their flailing bodies. Their speed and attacks were evenly matched as they clashed in the sky.

'**Wait…'** Kiyoteru suddenly noticed something, his eyes slowly widening.

One of them was…

**I chase you and then runaway from you, So chase me more.**

The more evasive one suddenly shot out both arms and unleashed a beam of white-hot light at the off-guard opponent, hurling the body and the massive beam… directly at their position.

**I'm serious, if you think it's a joke,you'll get hurt, understood?**

**Painted red nails and a cheap ring on my finger**

**Every time I get hurt, I buy new earrings**

**Snuggle me, ****I have a black hole in my body**

**You're the only one who can fulfill my heart**

**Aren't you the one?**

**You know you are,**

**I can't control myself anymore**

"Take over!" Kiyoteru shouted and motioned wildly to the other officers. The police hurriedly rushed to calmly evacuate the frantic crowd and tried to prevent them from scattering. But the fast-moving energy beam was coming closer and closer until-

_CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!_

Screams that had sounded were quickly drowned out by a deafening explosion shook the entire area, causing a slight quake in the aftermath. Kiyoteru had grabbed and yanked Kagamine Len behind a patrol car. To his right, Itsu held the younger boy in her arms and covered his ears from the massive impact.

After a few moments, both agents and the two boys, panting and swallowing, slowly rose to face what had just happened.

What they saw was a demented sight.

A few feet away from him was a young woman sprawled out on the now blackened, unleveled ground. Her fiery red hair thrown over her face and tangled in wet knots. A slimy black liquid oozed from the large, gaping hole which had cut through her stomach. Her body was bent and twisted into the most disturbing positions. She smelt burnt, ashen, and dead.

Hiyama slowly approached the body with his pistol in hand. He suddenly gagged and almost retched as a foul smell clung to his nostrils. He coughed behind the sleeve of his shirt while trying to rid away the smoke. Cautiously looking the body over, he saw wires and gears poking out of her ripped legs and arms.

This woman hadn't been human.

Suddenly, a violent gust of wind and whirring noises enclosed the entire area. A figure surrounded by blinding lights hovered before him.

"Hiyama!" Itsu cried over the roaring wind. Kiyoteru narrowed his eyes at the drifting figure.

"So… you're the VOCALOID."

"…"

**I'm so regretful that I wanna die.**

**I get as much pleasure as regrets.**

**I'm gonna go nuts, s****top me please, m****ake me come off and kill me right away!**

There, the long-awaited VOCALOID stood (or rather, floated). Project Rin. She stared down at him with dilated green eyes filled with a vast blankness. Her face held no expression. In fact, it held no emotion whatsoever. Her fists crackled and sparked with electricity.

According to his studies, Project Rin had been the main test subject for her parents. As a child, she had been involved in a dangerous mutation from the countless drug injections and robotics built into her body, creating her to become the man's ultimate bionic weapon for destruction and chaos.

In other words, the VOCALOID.

The molecules of her previous outfit had been altered into her default attire. A white sailor uniform with a black collar, gold trimmings, and yellow bow. Her shorts and leg warmers were all black and with gold trimming. And to finish the ensemble, she wore a white headset wiring to the base of her lower neck. Despite the cuteness of her outward appearance, the agent knew better than to let his guard down.

It was his job to protect the lives of innocents, and this girl was without a doubt, a threat to the humane society. And like all dangerous threats, this one had to be destroyed.

_Click._

With a determined look, the man cocked his pistol right at the girl. Itsu, Len, and Gachapoid eyed him in horrified disbelief.

"Hiyama!"

"No, don't! RIN!" Len yelled frantically as he rushed up and abruptly shoved the agent with all his might, causing him to accidentally pull the trigger as they both toppled over.

_BANG._ The shot missed.

"…_!"_ Green eyes flared. The VOCALOID rose high in the air, her head tilting slightly as she charged energy into her palms, sparks of electricity flaring. _"ACCESSING… ACCESSING…"_ she stated in a perfunctory voice, her eyes met Kiyoteru's, _"TARGET ACQUIRED." _An array of shockwaves split, slicing through the ground. Luckily, Kiyoteru had grown swift and strong from his years' training. Gritting his teeth, he immediately grabbed Len and rushed behind the security line once again, he ordered at the top of his lungs.

"Fire!"

Gunfire broke out.

Both Len and Gachapoid were being tightly restrained by Kiyoteru and a few other officers. The rest of the police squad continued firing their guns at the enraged android. Meiko and Kaito were both knocked unconscious in the cars, the rest of their friends were among the scattered crowd escaping into the parking lot.

"Rin! RIN!" Len screamed, "RIIIN!"

Then, a loud, high-pitched shrieking engulfed the surroundings. Gasping, all guns dropped to the ground and everyone fell to their knees. All except Gachapoid. They were all shutting their ears and groaning in pain. Smoke rose around the VOCALOID and a circulation of blue-white shockwaves flashed, lighting up the stormy evening.

Green eyes flashed dangerously as her body rose high in the air, she crossed her arms in an x-formation.

She was angry.

"_TERMINATION. TERMINATE ALL ENEMIES…!"_

"Mistress Rin, don't!" Gachapoid shouted through the high-pitched wailing, as he was specially programmed to resist most of his mistress's bionic attacks. "Don't!" He shouted again as he ran towards the circling shockwaves. He cried out in pain when the flashing currents came in contact with his body, leaving him paralyzed. Rin's eyes flew to the boy's running figure. She blinked and scanned his body with blue lasers.

"_ACCESSING… ACCESSING… TARGET IS… FRIENDLY."_ The lasers appeared green._ "SUBJECT 0567399K7... GACHAPOIDR3000 OF CRYPTON."_ She boomed in her unfriendly, monotone voice, her head snapped back to the others and her scanners suddenly appeared red, _"ACCESSING RECQUIRED TERMINATION."_ The shockwaves flared.

The VOCALOID shot out both arms.

**WHOOOOOOSH!**

_**FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!**_

* * *

**Len's POV**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**I'm so regretful that I wanna die**

**I get as much pleasure as regrets**

**I'm gonna go nuts,**

**Stop me please,**

**Make me come off and kill me right away**

Pain overcame my senses, making me fall to my knees and desperately cover my ears from the distorted, high-pitched wailing. All I knew was that Rin had completely changed

Gritting my teeth, I remembered what I saw. Those dilated green eyes filled with emptiness, that lifeless expression, those bionic shockwaves and that cold uniform…

She had changed into the VOCALOID.

Then, exploding noises and the sounds of lightning crashing filled my ears.

**WHOOOOOOSH!**

_**FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!**_

A searing pain electrocuted my arm as I felt my body being twisted and slammed against heavy blows. I almost screamed, but my throat felt too dry to do so. I had my eyes squeezed shut so I couldn't see what was happening. But I heard tortured cries coming from the police squad, apparently sounding as if they were being tortured like I was.

It all ended in a matter of seconds.

I felt myself slammed against the pavement, making me groan in the process. I tried to get up but stopped and hissed at the throbbing pain I felt in my left arm. I looked over and saw it was badly fractured, with multiple cuts and bruises… not to mention that it looked as if it had been roasting inside an oven. It was burnt as well. I gulped and wondered if I would be able to ever use it again.

I looked around and gasped to find the entire squad lying around in terrible condition, either unconscious or even d-dead. Most of the police vehicles had been flipped over and crashed together in a burning wreck.

"No…" My voice came out cracked and harsh, my eyes watered from the burning atmosphere. I witnessed both agents slumped against the side of a crushed police van, openly bleeding from their wounds. I averted my gaze to where the other kid was, he was lying between two dead officers, groaning and trying to get up. I suddenly remembered Kaito and Meiko, looking around frantically.

What had become of them?

Then, a strange buzzing noise hummed behind me. I spun around and doubled back in shock to find Rin standing on top of the car wreckage and staring down at me. She looked if she were staring at me like a complete stranger. No hugging, smiling, or exclaiming my name aloud. I felt my heart break painfully.

"…"

"Ri- AH." I started to approach her, only to stop when a burning sensation rushed through both my legs. I grit my teeth and hissed. It hurt to walk… and I felt like crumpling to the ground right then and there. But then I looked back up at Rin and remembered that I swore to protect her. If I blacked out now, who knows what could happen to her. So, I ignored the cries of my cramping triceps and pushed forward.

Every step I took was excruciating, but I refused to stop. "Rin," I rasped out, wobbling towards her as I clutched my bleeding, almost burnt arm, "Rin…" I gasped between pants, "it's me, Len. No one's gonna hurt you anymore, so snap out of it already…" The creature that was no longer Rin stood there in silence. "This isn't you… c'mon, please…" My voice weakened pleadingly, "I trusted in you like you wanted and you said everything would be alright. So," her eyes flickered momentarily. I smiled and slowly, despite the heavy effort, raised both arms out.

"Come back to me."

"_!"_ She reared back as if startled. Her eyes continued to bore into me but there was something different this time. They were… turning blue… then green… then blue again. _"!" _She clutched the side of her head and she gave a distorted groan. _"A-ACCESSING… WARNING! FIREWALL OVERLOADED! DISENGAGE! MEMORY FILES…!"_ her automatic voice rumbled, she suddenly looked over at me, her eyes blue and her pupils momentarily dilated, "L… Len- aaaaaaaaah!" She gave a piercing shriek as electric sparks shot through her headset, "AAAAAAAAAHAAAAAH!" Her eyes turned green once again.

"_N-NO. _Nooo…" They turned blue once more. Then green… blue… green… blue again.

I then realized.

She was fighting it!

Just then, a pink streak flew past me in a blink of an eye.

**Snuggle me, ****I have a black hole in my body**

**You're the only one who can fulfill my heart**

**Aren't you the one?**

**You know you are, ****I can't control myself anymore!**

The pink streak belonged to a young girl with coral hair tied back in a long ponytail. She wore red and pink armor matched with a flashy red helmet, and instead of having hands, funnel-like objects (they looked like speakers to me) attached themselves at the end of her arms. With a playful smirk, she called out, "Got her, Al! Leave this to me!" She clanged both speakers together and a bright light emitted, enclosing around Rin's body and leaving her immobilized.

"_!"_

I looked at the new scene in surprise, but before I could do anything, a deep voice boomed in.

"Don't get mouthy wit' me, baby girl! Big Al's still callin' them shots!" A burly, middle-aged man suddenly appeared right next to me and carrying a mini gun. He was dressed in a weird-looking uniform. His brown hair was cut up in a weird Mohawk style and his eyes glimmered in a strange, excited-looking way. "This job's fo' grownups…" He cocked his gun.

"Now you stop that nonsense, Al baby! We're not supposed to hurt her!" A feminine, more soft-pitched voice exclaimed as a gorgeous woman showed up with a disapproving frown on her face, "Rin-chan's only a little sprouting, you wouldn't dare hurt someone so cute as her, would you?" The man scowled and rolled his eyes.

"Lola, dat girl dangerous fer cryin' out loud! She practically eradicated SF-A2 Miki over there!" he exclaimed, "not to mention an entire squad!"

"Enough of your squabbling, both of you." A familiar, authorized voice commanded from behind me. I turned around to find the grim-faced kid with dirty cheeks glaring slightly at the adults, "Just get us back to base." They looked at him for a moment before the woman called Lola sighed reluctantly and took out an bulky object resembling a canteen. She clicked the red button at the neck and suddenly, a giant net ejected from the open mouth and automatically wrapped itself around Rin's paralyzed body, making her suddenly fall over and thrash in complete surprise. The man called Big Al took out a pager and spoke into it.

"We has the kid, Tonio. Get yo' ass over here."

I blinked several times, unable to fully comprehend what was going on. Finally, I came to my senses. "Wait!" I grabbed Al's sleeve and yanked it. Startled, he looked down at me, "Who are you? What are you doing with Rin? What about all these police?" I blurted my thoughts without thinking, continuing to yank at his arm, "My stepbrother and Meiko too! What will happen to them? Answer me!"

"Cool it, honey," Lola said in a cooing voice as she stroked the top of my wet head with long red fingernails, "we're not here for trouble, we just came to help." she gestured to the others, "We happen to be old friends of Dell, he sent us here to rescue you and your friends."

"D-Dell?" I repeated confusedly, "how do you know him?"

She winked at me, "He's our boss." she said as she quickly left to join the girl with the red helmet.

"All of them are members from the N.N.D aka, Nico Nico Douga, a high ranking, specialized unit formed from Crypton's sister companies." Gachapoid explained as he watched them bind a thrashing, angry Rin. "Their job is to track and take down runaway machines or failed products… or mindless robots as you like to call it." I gaped at him, "For many years, the Japanese government was more than capable of covering us up… the fact that beings like us could exist." A sigh escaped from him as he examined at the scattered police squad lying around the ruined grounds. "Well, it looks like the media's about to find out sooner than they hoped."

Then, out of nowhere, a dark van pulled up. The window slid down to reveal a dark-looking man wearing sunglasses despite the weather, "Get in." He said to us. I just stood there, staring as GachapoidR3000 went in.

"To-chan~! About time you got here!" The pink-haired girl exclaimed happily as she jumped in the front seat. Behind her was Big Al and Lola, who climbed in the very back as they kept a tight hold on Rin. I continued to stand there, unsure whether I wanted to ride with people I didn't trust.

"Hey, you coming?" The girl asked me with a raised brow.

I hesitated. "But I…"

What about Kaito and Meiko?

Big Al snarled impatiently, "Boy, you's wasting time! Get the fuck in!" He reached over and yanked me in by the collar of my jacket. The door slammed shut and the van started up at an insane speed. At the impact, I slammed against the side and landed on my bad arm.

"Kuso…!" I hissed in pain. Now irritated, I shot an immediate glare at GachapoidR300, "Alright, what the hell's going on now? Where are they taking us?"

"You'll find out soon enough." He simply answered.

"Ryuto -_ow! Dammit, stop that_!- HEY RYUTO! You gonna help us out here or -_shit_!- what?" Al hollered from the back as Rin managed to land heavy kicks against his broad chests. GachapoidR300 shot him a disapproving glare.

"Do not, I repeat, do _not_ call me Ryuto. You will refer to me as my service name."

"W-Whatever, Ryuto -_fuck!- _, G-Gachapoid, _-oh dammit that smarts!- _whoever the hell you is, control this girl here! She actin' up!"

"I _told_ you we should've brought the tranquilizing gun!" Tonio called out from the front, causing Al to fume.

"Shut yer ass up!"

"Impudent fools…," GachapoidR3000 sighed and looked at me, "You, Kagamine. Go back there and calm miss Rin. Use these." He handed me a bottle of sedatives. I looked at the bottle, then the boy, then the bottle again.

What was a five-year-old doing with drugs?

Shrugging the thought off, I got to my feet carefully and walked down the aisle-

_**Screeeeeeeech!**_

The van abruptly reared left. "WHOA!" I yelled out as I fell forward, landing between Lola and the window. "Ow…"

"Geez, To-chan! You always drive too rough!"

"Don't complain, Iroha-chan! We gotta make good use of speed!"

Lola grunted beside me as she desperately tried holding Rin down, "Hurry, hon! C-Can't hold her off much longer! She's tearing the net!" One look at the thrashing girl in the ripping net and I knew this wasn't going to be an easy job. Swallowing nervously, I knelt over and whispered.

"Hey, Rin."

Much to my surprise, she stopped thrashing and blinked up at me with swarming blue-green eyes. I was unsure whether she was Rin or the VOCALOID. I smiled nervously, "H-Hi. Remember me?" She remained silent and unmoving. "Uh, here…" I opened the bottle and popped out a few pills into my trembling, wet hand and pushing them to her lips, "Say 'ah." She stared at them blankly.

"…"

"C'mon, say 'aaah." I desperately tried, opening my mouth and doing the action. "Aaah." I pointed at my mouth. Everyone, even Tonio from the front., they were all watching.

This was so embarrassing.

My face heated up as I impatiently hurried her inside my head to do what I wanted her too.

Finally, she quietly opened her mouth. "…" Relieved, I popped the pills in, having her swallow them afterwards.

"That's it," I cooed in a soft voice as I gave her a few more doses, "Good girl… good girl, you're doing great." She swallowed them one at a time all the while looking at me. After deciding she had taken enough, I stopped and waited for the sedatives to take affect. In moments, she looked drained.

"…?" She looked at me almost questioningly at me under her wilting gaze. I couldn't help but crack a guilty smile. I somehow found the courage to reach over and stroke her dirtied, wet hair.

"Sorry. I had to do it though." I said, "Just go to sleep now, okay?" She blinked sleepily several times before emitting a slow yawn, closing her eyes and falling asleep.

Everyone was silent.

Lola looked at me with a warm smile, "She likes you." she stated clearly. I blushed.

"You managed to calm her even when she was undergoing a violent crossing stage…" Gachapoid stared at me in disbelief, his face paling slightly, "even I wouldn't have managed to do that…"

"Oooooh!" The girl with the helmet exclaimed as she popped over the seat. She eyed me in amazement, "Are you her boyfriend?"

My face immediately burst into flames. "U-Uh, no! It's not like that!" I shook my head and laughed nervously. The thought of it was enough to give me a heart attack… not so much in a bad way though.

"Really? I would've assumed the two of you were sweethearts, you look so cute together." Lola commented to me.

"Er… we're just friends." … I think.

Both girls sighed and drooped their heads in disappointment. Al and Gachapoid looked at me suspiciously. Tonio winked at me knowingly. I sighed, relieved to free of any more embarrassing questions regarding my relationship with Rin. We were close, sure, but it felt having to be mistaken with her on such… terms.

But then, I recalled what happened hours ago in a heated daze, we _did_… kiss. An immediate grin broke out on my face.

That had to be something.

Just as I was about to lean back and relax on the seat, Tonio shouted in a clear voice, "Alright, guys! Hang on tight! WE'RE GOING IN!" The engine roared to life when he slammed his foot on the acceleration petal. Ice flowed into my veins and a surging panic overtook me when I realized what he where he was driving.

We were about to crash right into a brick wall.

"AAAAA! OH MY JESUS ARE YOU INSANE?" I screamed and flailed my arms in wild fright. "HIT THE BRAKES! HIT THE BRAKES!" They all looked at me like I had gone crazy.

"Why are you screaming?" The pink-haired girl asked me with an innocent expression as if she were unaware of the danger.

"WE'RE GONNA DIE IS WHY!" I yelled, my eyes wide as saucers. Tonio snorted.

"I happen to be a gifted driver so quit your worrying."

"Wait, wait, NO-!" The brick wall suddenly folded open, revealing a crevice and allowing the zooming van to slip into the darkness. White lights lit up the ceiling as we drove past, I blinked and realized we were inside a wide tunnel sheltering us from the rain outside. My mouth fell open slightly as I peered out the window. "W… Where are we?"

A giggle.

The jaunty girl with fuchsia hair bobbled up next to me and gave overjoyed grin.

"Welcome to home base!"

We drove into an expansive foyer, where mom and Dell waited along with a couple other people wearing lab coats. As soon as we stopped, I bolted out of the door and ran straight to them.

"Mom! Dell!"

"Baby!" Mom wailed, running towards me as well. I crashed into her open arms and hugged her with everything I had.

"Mom…" I managed to say, not wanting to let go, "Oh, mom…" I'd forgotten how wonderful it felt to have her, getting so emotional over the most meaningless things…

"I'm so sorry!" Mom promptly burst into tears and clutched me tighter, her dark-blonde hair falling in bedraggled tangles. She looked at me with a distress look, her eyes red and swollen. "I-It's all my fault… leaving you and everyone else in the hands of a monster…!" She took notice of my battered arm, "Noooo! Your poor thing, you're hurt! How could this happen?" She broke down in my arms.

"It's okay, mom. I'm alright now." I almost laughed at her open display of worry and affection. I hated to think how badly I worried her. No matter how much she babied me (which bothered me to no end), I really loved my mom. She was crazy, spunky, and just awesome. I'd much rather prefer having her humiliating me in front of my friends than to see her cry like this.

"Oh why, kami-sama? How could you let this happen to my precious child?" Mom howled to the heavens and got down to her knees melodramatically, "Why to my only son? Why, kami-sama, _why?_" I could feel everyone's stares pinpoint on our backs. I sighed.

Okay, so she was doing both.

Oh, mom…

"Nami, come off it now. Give Len some room so we can treat his wounds." Dell helped mom up and gave her to a pair of uniformed women. He then motioned a few doctors over and looked at me, "Don't worry about Kaito and Meiko, they were taken in before you and are being treated right now." I sagged my shoulders in relief. Then, I looked back at the van and saw Rin being hauled on a stretcher. I started towards them, only to be stopped by Dell.

"Freshen up first, then we'll talk."

I had quietly allowed the doctors to stitch up and bandage my arm, along with dressing into the clean clothes mom brought. But I refused to be put into a stretcher, not willing to end up being treated like a hospital patient when there were questions I wanted answers to.

* * *

"Hey… Dell?"

"Mhm?"

"What is this place?"

He looked at me with a slight look of bemusement, "It's my clinic of course." I rose an eyebrow at him.

"Really? Through a brick wall entrance and a wide underground tunnel?"

"Well… it's what it's supposed to appear on the outside. In actuality, I haven't quite retired from my days working inside vaults."

I frowned. This guy kept way too many secrets.

"What about Kaito and Meiko? Shouldn't they be involved in our, uhm, 'talk?" Dell looked back at me as we walked towards a set of white doors.

"They've been sedated. Other than that, this is a private conversation between you and me… well, Ryuto and several others as well." The boy below me flinched.

"Honne, I believe we made it clear that I don't want to be called that."

Dell chuckled.

"And Rin?" I asked.

"You'll be seeing her shortly."

The doors opened to reveal the N.N.D members, along with mom and… my eyes widened.

"P-Professor Gakupo?"

Startled, the purple-haired man dressed in a lab coat turned around and met my shocked gaze. He smiled at me sheepishly.

"Oh… hello, Len."

"What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised to see him.

Dell traveled over and patted the professor's shoulder before looking at me, "Kamui is an old colleague of mine. We're one of those concerning the establishment of Project: VOCALOID."

"In other words, I already know about Kagamine-san being the VOCALOID." Professor Gakupo added with an agreeable nod. He then sighed, "In fact… I even remember catching a glimpse of her seven years ago. She was always so lively back then…"

I blinked several times before shaking my head. "A-Alright. Enough of this, I want answers." I looked directly at Dell, "You owe me some explanations. Today was going just fine until that… _thing_ showed up. We were all having fun and now… here we all are." I sighed miserably. Dell looked at me strangely, almost remorsefully.

"I know I haven't been completely honest with you…" he started.

"No, you haven't." I deadpanned.

"But I'm going to make up for it."

"Then explain," I commanded firmly, crossing my arms, "tell me about Rin, about _everything_ I should know, Dell, I have to know what's going on."

Gachapoid nodded in affirmation. "He's right, Honne. You've been keeping people like him in the dark for too long. It's time you explain everything, disregarding safety. Miki almost killed him and my mistress for Miriam's sake!" Professor Kamui's face seemed to darken at his words.

"Please don't use her name so carelessly." he whispered in a sad, almost broken voice.

I raised an eyebrow in interest, "Miriam?" Who's she?

"Understood." Dell intervened with a sigh. "Kamui and I will tell you everything we can…" he paused, "what would you like to know?" I got right down to business.

"First off, who was that insane chick trying to kill me and Rin back on the Ferris wheel?" I demanded, unable to rid her horrifying face out of my mind.

"SF-A2 Miki." Dell responded, "One of Crypton's failed weapon products… but apparently she was sent to capture Rin and bring here back to Germany, where her father is. But no doubt he'll send more of his workers after her." I groaned softly and placed a hand on my throbbing head.

I was going to have a massive headache.

"A-Alright… what's with this Leon guy? I mean, sending weird psychos after Rin in Japan… is he trying to kill us all?"

"If that's what it takes to get her back." The professor answered grimly, "Miki is the first of many." I turned to him questioningly.

"How much do you know about this, professor?" He smiled.

"When Kagamine- no, Rin-san first introduced herself in my class a few months ago, I didn't recognize her at first. But after a few days of displaying her extraordinary intelligence and perfect grades, I realized it was no coincidence, especially after Honne here paged me a few hours ago. I was really surprised." I nodded to show that I understood.

"Okay, next question… who's this kid?" I pointed to the green-haired kid below me, who frowned at me.

"Did I not just explain a while back?"

"… Not fully." I answered with a shrug, "I still don't get just how you came from inside Rin…" My voice trailed and I suddenly realized how wrong that sounded. "W-Wait…" I started, my face darkening, "you're not like her _baby_ or anything are you?"

If it was Mikuo, I swear to God...

Gachapoid stared at me incredulously before snapping, "Of course not! I'm a robotic part derived from her ear canal, you ignorant cause!" Interesting vocabulary, I thought. The girl with the red helmet walked over and started cuddling him.

"Ryuto-chan is a member of the N.N.D too!" she announced with a giggle, "me and him are the cute ones~! Aren't we, Ryuto-chan?" Ryu- no, Gachapoid shrugged away from her hug and scowled.

"Iroha! How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that? Doesn't anyone listen to me?" He fumed.

Lola laughed and placed a gentle hand on his head. "But you're so adorable when you get mad."

"Don't play with my temper here!"

"N.N.D. stands for Nico Nico Douga, right?" I suddenly asked, making everyone look at me. They nodded in affirmation. "So you guys make up the entire unit?" I pointed to the those I'd been riding in the van earlier.

"No. There's more of us, but most are scattered. That makes it hard to tell you exactly who's enlisted." Tonio answered, "but I bet you'll meet them on your own someday. Count on it."

"In the meantime, these people are Lola, Big Al, Iroha Nekomura, and Tonio." Dell introduced, "You'll be seeing them around the house for the time being." Prof. Gakupo nodded in agreement.

"And I believe there are some members in our school too, Kagamine-kun. Some people you might even know." I blinked.

"Really?"

"Yes." He nodded, "You never can guess what youngsters like you are up to nowadays."

"In fact…," Dell drawled as he brought over a young woman wearing a surgical mask which covered her face, "there are members who happen to be the people you least expect." he gestured to her, "I think you already know who this is." At those words, she removed her mask and smiled at me.

"Len-kun, it's been a while, ne?"

My mouth fell open in shock.

"K-Kaiko-nee!"

Kaiko is my stepsister, in other words, Kaito's older sister (by 4 years). She graduated college a few years back and is supposed to be living in Hokkaido. Unlike Kaito, she's really friendly and polite, and it's easy to get along with her. But it's really rare of her to visit us since she's always busy and we hardly even mention her around the house.

"You're an N.N.D member too?"

Kaiko smiled nervously, "Yeah. You must be mad at me for not spilling, but…" she gestured to Dell, "daddy wanted to keep it a secret." I frowned.

"A secret."

"Yes…" he answered uncomfortably. "But like I said, I'm making amends."

Kaiko attempted to make peace by flashing me a friendly grin, "Do you want to see Rin now?" I stopped and looked at her. She knew about Rin too…

"Oh. That'd be great."

She laughed and started towards another set of doors, "Follow me then." And that's just what I did. I followed her into the lower region of the facilities, walking past scientists who were either experimenting or quietly discussing test subjects with clipboards in hand.

I frowned. It was hard to be believe that just a few hours ago I was having fun with everyone at the park… and suddenly, I end up inside a secret government facility unknown to the world.

"I really don't blame you if you're upset," Kaiko's voice broke the silence, making me look up, "I mean, suddenly being forced into this craziness… it must be pretty hard on you. Especially for someone your age."

"Sort of." I mumbled in reply.

She sighed, "Look, I'm really sorry about dad. He's just… well, he's really worried for you guys. It's not like he wants you to get involved in wild fiascos like these." she looked back at me pleadingly, "You get what I'm saying?"

I shook my head and said, "Being oblivious to these problems is just as dangerous. I don't even know if I can even look at your dad the same way anymore… he practically lied to us… to Kaito!" Kaiko's gaze fell guiltily but I pressed on, "And you, Kaiko-nee, we always thought you were living in Hokkaido but you right here the entire time! You acted no better than Dell," I shook my head again, "Seriously. You _know_ how much Kaito hates it when you and Dell keep secrets from him like this! It hurts him!"

"I know…" she whispered, shaking her head regretfully, "I know it." A frown grew on my face.

"Then why didn't you guys tell us anything?"

A sad sigh escaped from Kaiko as she brushed back a couple of her bangs, "We just didn't want you or Kaito to get involved. This is really dangerous business we're dealing with, the government doesn't want anyone to know what we're doing down here."

"So, what's going on?"

Kaiko pushed open the doors to reveal a giant dark-blue lab, in the midst of it all was a giant reactor standing in the middle. She started talking again as we walked down the zigzag flight of stairs, "The government wants Crypton Future Media and its CEO, Leon Takashi, shut down for good."

"The company Dell used to work at?"

"Not quite." She answered, "Dad and professor Kamui happened to be Leon's partners. However, dad was the CEO of Crypton's sister company… he projected the supplies for the making of Project: VOCALOID." She said, "Seven years ago, this vault was used as an extension to create the VOCALOID itself."

"Rin…" I murmured, looking down.

"That's right." Kaiko confirmed with a nod, "From the beginning, it all revolved around your friend, Rin, or should I say, Takashi Rin… the CEO's daughter." I looked at her in shock and realization.

"T-Takashi Rin? You don't mean…" My voice trailed as I remembered that was the Leon guy's surname, "Leon is Rin's father?"

"… Yes."

"B-… But why? His own daughter? That's just monstrous!" I suddenly shouted, causing some of the scientists to stop and look at me but I didn't care. I grit my teeth and clenched both my fists in anger, "Why would someone do that to their own kid?"

I couldn't imagine a little Rin being tested and experimented on like that… it was just too cruel.

"Science has their ways of influencing people to power, but it's not an unusual case." Kaiko shook her head, "It's terrible, I know. Truthfully though, there are some willing to give up anything to gain it, even their own sanity…" she paused, "however, Leon gave up his for an almost good cause."

I scowled. "Is there really any good excuse for experimenting on your own child like a lab rat?"

"We hacked into Leon's old computer and found out that Takashi Rin was born as a very sickly child." she answered, making me blink, "she was diagnosed with an extremely rare disease, one that has no cure known to humanity. Many doctors lost faith after six years of treatment and being hospitalized numerous times, they believed she would die. Leon, however, loved her very much and refused to stop fighting." she then sighed, "But… there are times when one crosses the boundaries."

I bit my tongue to refrain from saying that would lead to more frustration.

"Leon soon forced her to live underground in vaults like these, separating her from society for most of her life." Kaiko said, "Day after day, he'd lock her in a room by herself and inject drugs, wires, and anything else hazardous into her system in effort to improve her health, later redesigning her entire body system with the improved technology the company managed to evolve in…"

She continued, "At first, creating her into the VOCALOID was a mission merely out of love. But somewhere along the way, it became a goal of power. "

So, creating the VOCALOID was the only option for Rin's survival… I dropped my gaze to my feet. If I were in the same situation as Leon's… would I have done the same?

I wonder at the time, was Leon thinking more for Rin's life rather than the values of morality?

Kaiko suddenly spoke up, "I don't think Rin wasn't the first human created into a VOCALOID." I stopped, then groaned and slapped a hand on my forehead.

"Don't tell me there's another one?"

I suddenly felt another headache coming on.

She shrugged, "If I'm right, there was supposed to be a prototype before Rin-chan… around when Leon was forced to move the project to Germany by the president. But we're not for sure whether he, she, or rather _it_ still exists to this day." A sigh, "No one knew who it was except Leon himself." I looked at her with both eyebrows raised.

"Not even Dell?"

"Not even daddy knows. The rest of Leon's journal entries were erased by then." Kaiko answered with a small frown, "But the most likely conclusion is that it was deemed as a failure and furthermore, deposed of." I looked down to the floor once more.

"What else can you tell me about Rin?" I asked quietly. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Kaiko's eyes soften.

"Rin is looking for her mother." She said in a soft voice, making me glance up and blink.

Wait…

_"Do you… have a mother?"_

I remembered a few days ago, she was talking about.

_"Everyone… has a mother, just like Len has Nami. Your mother stays with you wherever you go, is that not correct?"_

Her eyes… they looked so lost and tired. Her voice, pleading.

_"… Where is my mother?"_

"Miriam is her name. Takashi Miriam. She disappeared after Rin was converted into the VOCALOID." Kaiko looked at me with a grave expression. "If it wasn't known then, it's certainly clear now… that they had a very close bond."

I kept quiet.

"You remember when you and Rin first met?" Kaiko asked me. A small smile grew on my face.

How could I forget?

"Yeah," I found myself replying, "what about it?"

"Well. A possible reason why you and Kaito encountered Rin on that night is because the area you live in is where she and her mother used to visit." she said, "Miriam loved Japan despite being European-raised, and she would always bring Rin along her trips to before she was in a terminal condition. They used to come here all the time to see Leon's grandfather."

"So in other words…"

"Rin was looking for Miriam the entire time." Kaiko finished, "That's why she escaped from Germany, to find her missing mother."

I stood there, silent. Then I spoke up, "I'll help her."

Kaiko stared at me incredulously, "What?"

"I said I'll help her."

She looked at me confusedly, "But how will you do that?"

"I'll find a way." I insisted.

"But you know my dad… he won't like this."

"If I remember correctly, he was the one who said Rin was my responsibility. It's my job to protect her." I said, "It's too late for him to take those words back, besides, I've already decided."

Kaiko sighed and shook her head with a smile. "Looks like it can't be helped." She chuckled as she pulled out a remote control of some sort before pointing it directly at the reactor. With a click of a button, she activated it, the blinds unfolding to reveal what was inside.

_Sssh…_

I felt my entire face soften as I saw what was inside.

Rin.

There she was, surrounded by bubbles and floating upright in the water. Tubes connected to her lower abdomen. The calm hisses of her breathing indicated she was in a deep sleep.

_Sssshh… Sssshh…_

I suddenly noticed she wasn't wearing her uniform anymore. Instead, she was wearing nothing but undergarments.

She was almost… naked.

… Um.

But wow… she had a nice figure-I MEAN WAIT WHAT.

Heat rushed to my face as I hastily looked the other way.

Kaiko seemed to notice and chuckled, "Wanna talk to her?" she asked, trying to hide the amusement in her voice. I nodded quickly. She laughed and ordered a few scientists to bring her out 'properly' dressed (much to my embarrassment).

A few minutes later she was brought out in a simple white frock and placed on a chair. She sat there, asleep. Kaiko strode up to her with a vaccine and injected it into her arm, stepping away with a smile.

"Say her name." she said to me. I looked at her, confused, but decided to comply and took a deep breath.

"Rin."

Nothing happened at first. Suddenly, a pair of heavy lashes opened, revealing vibrant cerulean irises. I took a step back and watched Rin snap upright, her pupils enlarging and adjusting to the light of the room. Slowly, she looked around before her gaze stopped at me.

"... L-Len?"

Not knowing what else to do, I curled my lips into a nervous smile.

"H-Hey, Rin. Welcome back." For a moment, she appeared lost. Then as if remembering a holiday, her face lit up in pure elation and excitement.

"Len!" A happy shriek sounded from her as she practically knocked her chair down and attack me with a flying hug, "Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen~!"

"Whoa, Rin!" I barely had a chance to hug her back when I met with her crashing weight.

"Len!" She said and looked up at me adoringly, "I missed you!"

I laughed uneasily and placed a hand at the back of my neck, "R-Really?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, well, I missed you too-" I was instantly interrupted when she pecked me right on the lips. It was quick and short, but it made me stop talking altogether. My entire face reddened. "RIN!" I nearly shouted, blushing like crazy and looking at her as if she had gone mad. "What was that?"

In front of Kaiko too!

Rin tilted her head to the side with innocent confusion. "I kissed Len." She answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I-I know that! But why?"

"Because I like you a lot." She replied innocently, then she furrowed her eyebrows in slight worry, "Oh… should I have used tongue action instead?" (Hint: Teto) My jaw dropped.

_Tongue action?_

"A-_hem_."

We both looked over to see Kaiko fighting back a smile, "Pardon me for interrupting this rather _pleasant_ reunion…" she looked at Rin, "but I do believe it's time for you to take a nap, young missy. You've been through a lot today." Rin blinked.

"I… have?" Suddenly, her expression brightened, "Oh, yes! I remember!" She turned to look at me with a huge smile, one that made my heart melt. "Everyone had lots of fun at the amusement park! We all went on the rides, eat and sang at that restaurant, and then on that Ferris wheel ride Len kissed me-…" She stopped and blinked, "Oh…" then she lowered her gaze shyly, "y-you _did_ kiss me… correct?"

I nodded, blushing. "Y-Yeah… I did…" then, I looked down, "what else do you remember?" A strange expression took over her face, as if she were thinking hard about something.

"Ah… I can't quite recall- OH!" She gasped and spun around frantically, "T-That girl! That strange girl with the butterfly tattoo! Where is she? S-She tried to hurt us, she-!"

"Rin, Rin, calm down…" I chided and took hold of her arms, "It's alright now. She's gone."

"G-Gone?"

"C'mon, you two, into your room." Kaiko finally cut in and ushered us both up the stairs, "Dad says because of today's catastrophe, you kids are gonna be stuck here for a while." She lead us into a small, empty room with two separate beds. "In the meantime, I suggest you both get some rest. You can talk another time." Then she leaned over and whispered in my ear, "you might not want to tell her everything considering the state she's in right now. Best take it one step at a time." Realizing she was right, I silently agreed. She pulled back and winked at us strangely.

"Well, later. Don't act too wild now~." She walked out the door before closing it shut.

_Click._

…

Don't tell me… she locked us in?

Come on!

I groaned and fell facedown on one of the beds.

"Who was that lady?" Rin asked.

"No one special." I mumbled against the pillow and turned my head, "Kaiko-nee, you pervert…" Rin bent down and tilted her head to meet my lopsided face.

"Len…? What did happen after that strange girl attacked us? And why are we here?"

I sighed, feeling too exhausted to get into that conversation.

"I'll tell you later, Rin… right after I take a nap, okay?" I sighed again when she cast me a doubtful look, "Look… it's actually something you wouldn't want to know, but if you really want to, I'll help you remember. But right now I'm tired. So can we please talk about this later?" She frowned but nodded slowly. Relief washed over me and I smiled gratefully, "Thank you. Let's sleep now, okay? You can use the other bed. "

She didn't move.

"Uh… Rin?"

Suddenly and quietly, she slipped under my covers and snuggled in.

"Huh! Rin?" Another huge blush broke out on my face. I struggled to keep my hips far away from hers as much as possible, not wanting to lose myself again. "W-W-What are you doing? The other bed is over there so-" All breath escaped me when she suddenly wrapped her arms tight around my neck and buried her face in my chest.

"I want to sleep with Len…" she mumbled.

"R-Rin…?"

"It's scary!" Both hands gripped my shirt tightly as she buried her head even further in my neck. I could feel her tears against my skin, "I don't remember clearly about everything that happened, but, I remember that girl with the butterfly tattoo telling me all sorts of terrible things…" she clung to me even harder, "T-Things about my past… a-about who I am… ab-about my mother…" Hiccups started to erupt.

I sat there, surprised. Then, I relaxed and wrapped my arms around her protectively.

"W-Why is it that I suddenly don't want to remember who I once was before I met Len? Months ago… I really, really wanted to know! But all I remember is bad things! Bad things that make me feel sick and cause me pain! W-Why, Len? I don't know what to do…!" She broke down and started crying softly, hugging me tighter than before. I sat there quietly and rubbed her back in a soothing motion.

"Rin, shh, Rin… It's okay… it's okay."

"A-And on top of that I almost lost Len…! It's all my fault! I didn't want her to hurt you, really, I-! I'm sorry, Len, I'm sorry! I…!" I don't know what came over me, but somehow I ended up pulling her back and kissing both her cheeks and eyelids. I don't know the reason why I even did that, but I just wanted to. I couldn't stand to see Rin cry.

"Aw, Rin…" I nearly chuckled at the expression she made after I kissed her at those spots, "None of it's your fault. Besides, we still had a lot of fun today, didn't we?"

I mean if you put aside almost getting murdered, Rin turning into the VOCALOID, having the police arrive in a thunderstorm with all the population scattered, riding in alongside with a bunch of N.N.D. lunatics, etc…

If you put aside all those things, it was a fairly normal day.

She sniffed and nodded. I smiled and hugged her back even tighter. Then she spoke up again.

"Am I a monster to you, Len? Do you hate me?"

I shook my head, "Never, and I could never hate you." I gently wiped away her tears. Seriously, who in the right mind would want to hate her? A hiccup escaped from her as she started rubbing her eyes with a slight blush spread across her face.

Exactly my thoughts, she was too cute to hate in the first place.

… UH. N-Not that I'm the only one who thinks that.

"Please… kiss me again?" She suddenly asked, making me stop.

"Uh… why?" I shifted my gaze sideways in embarrassment.

"Because," she answered with another hiccup, "I liked it a lot when it happened… and I still feel a little sad."

I hesitated.

"So you have to be the one to kiss me…" she looked at me with puppy eyes, "okay?" I gulped and felt my face redden.

"O-Okay," I whispered and leaned in, brushing our lips together in a swift motion. That simple gesture warmed my insides and lifted my spirits, especially when she pressed back. I told myself I was hungry, that had to be the reason why it felt as if butterflies were swarming around in my stomach.

All too soon, we parted.

I convinced myself that I was tired, that that was the reason why I felt so dazed…

We sat with our foreheads against each other's until I finally pulled back. "Better?" I asked breathlessly. A slight smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She nodded happily.

I told myself I probably coming down with a fever since I'd been out in the rain for so long, that my head wasn't clear at the moment… because I suddenly wanted to grab her and kiss her again.

"Good." I responded as casually as I could. I shrugged under covers and turned to face the over way. "Now go to sleep."

"Y-Yes…"

Minutes later…

"… Len?"

"What, Rin?"

"Sing to me."

I sighed, "I'm tired, Rin. Can we just go to sleep?" I heard a sniffle. Confused, I turned around to face her.

Bad mistake.

She looked at me with watery eyes, begging.

"_Please?"_

… Ergh.

"Oh, alright." I grumbled, though my mood lightened considerably when she gave a happy cry. Eagerly, she snuggled up to me and practically nuzzled up against my chest. I stiffened at first but gradually relaxed, draping a single arm over her shoulders and trailing my fingers across her back. I started to sing slowly in a soft voice;

"**A purple butterfly on your right shoulder,**

**We kissed in the corner of the room…**

**I learned what it's like to have a heartrending feeling,**

**Sounds of a piano rebounded,**

**Dissonance in my head**…"

Her eyes closed and her breathing slowed. I continued to sing softly as I let my fingers run up and down her spine. By the time I finished the song, all I heard was her deep, soft breathing indicating she was asleep. In the faint lighting, a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"_Mama…" _she breathed.

I silently laid there, watching as she mumbled incoherent words.

"_Verzeihen Sie mir…"_ She cried softly, whimpering and shaking, _"Bitte hör auf zu weinen! Ich werde gut sein, von nun an ...! Ich werde ein gutes Mädchen sein!"_

(Forgive me…) (Please stop crying! I'll be good from now on…! I'll be a good girl!)

One could only guess she was having a nightmare. Probably one with her mom.

Gently, I took her body into my arms and shushed her quietly, rocking her to sleep. Tortured mewls escaped from her as she rested in my warmth. Her cries, however, diminished. I stroked her hair and breathed in the scent of fresh oranges.

"You're such a crybaby…" I murmured, if not affectionately.

She shivered.

Another sigh escaped from me as we continued to hug like that. After a few minutes, she finally slipped into a quiet sleep again. Ugh… it wasn't fair, I thought grumpily to myself, the fact she's asleep and I'm still awake, there was something very wrong about that.

"Len…" I stopped and looked at her. A soft smile now adorned her tear-stained face. "Len…"

She was… dreaming about me?

"Don't leave me…"

O-Oh… aw…

My heart melted.

Was I really that special to her like she said?

"Kiss…"

K-Kiss?

I listened closely but she didn't say anything after that. I took a deep, shuddering breath in before leaning over… and kissed her right on the corner of her lip.

"Silly," I sighed as I brushed a few strands of hair out of her face, "you shouldn't say those things so carelessly…" I closed my eyes and sighed again.

Life would never be the same again. Especially after today's havoc. But now that I found out even more about Rin, I felt as if we had been brought closer. I now understood why she was cautious and shy around people, anyone would act like that if they'd been through hell like that in their childhood, and now she was being hunted doing by her insane father… all because of her being the stupid VOCALOID.

A few months ago, I had been obviously guarding her like the little sister I never had, thinking maybe she was born shy. But now… things were different. The thought of leaving her alone any place at any time now scared me.

Though I'd never admit this to anyone, Rin had certainly grown on me in the past. Every day I awoke to see her face. She was constantly present, constantly worrying about everyone, constantly getting herself into mischief because of her die-hard curiosity. She had pretty much become an essential part in my everyday life, and I rather liked it to be honest.

If I were to lose her… Terrible thoughts of her dying crept into my mind.

I shook my head furiously, getting rid of those thoughts.

No, no. I swore to protect Rin, I would _never_ lose her. I'd die before that happened. Then, I came to a sudden thought.

What did Rin mean to me exactly…?

An ear-splitting yawn escaped from my mouth. My muscles ached in exhaustion and I knew I really had to get some sleep. I was too tired to think anymore anyways. Yawning again, I fully relaxed myself on the bed and finally start to drift off in a state of unconsciousness.

Then the thought of having to tell Rin _everything_ cross my mind, making me grimace. I'd tell her everything that happened today, but I wasn't about to put her through even more pain by talking about what she'd gone through as a kid. It obviously hurt her to remember and she probably never wanted to. And aside from that, I didn't want to be the one telling her those things anytime soon.

Not when I was finally beginning to understand her, feelings and all.

My last thoughts fell on Dell, Kaito, Meiko, and everyone else…

Then nothing.

* * *

**Internet Ltd., Third Deck**

**8:03 PM**

**General POV**

It was surely inevitable.

Gachapoid realized this as he watched the entire scene fold before his eyes through the keyhole of the door as he had been privately spying on the two teenagers to make sure they weren't doing anything atrocious. He blamed the dirty-minded Kaiko as a reason for his sudden paranoia. He frowned and quietly stepped away.

So… it had all come down to this.

Looking over to the secret exit on his left, a grim look appeared as he knew what was to be done. He managed to take a few steps towards door before someone stated behind him;

"You're leaving." He stopped and sighed, nodding. He knew the voice too well to even bother turning around.

"Yes…"

Iroha strode up to him, her amber eyes bore into his. "And you know exactly where you're headed?" The little boy made no sign of any weakness.

"I will, in due time."

A look of exasperation crossed the female android's face.

"Ryuto-chan,"

"Don't call me that." he replied flatly.

She ignored him and continued, "Seriously, you really think you can just walk away like this? What about your duty to protect Project Rin?"

"And that is exactly what I'm doing." Gachapoid answered with a firm look on his face, "as it is my duty to serve, I must depart for now,"

"Don't be stupid!" He winced at her sharp outburst. Her gold, catlike eyes glared at him through the dark, "What makes you think leaving her in the hands of that… that _primitive,_" she asked, referring to the Kagamine boy, "will do any good? Look how ordinary he is! He's just like any other ignorant human!" her voice grew higher and higher, "and what about Hatsune for crying out loud? We don't even know which side the bastard's on! He's playing others for his own amusement! For all we know he could be phoning Leon right now! That lying, no-good, half-assed traitor-!"

"_Iroha_," Gachapoid spoke sharply, his jade eyes flickering irritably , "you think I'm not aware of the situation?"

"I know you are!" she groaned, "But what I don't get is that you're running off!"

"I'm _not_." He replied in his normal austere manner. "I can't stay here… there's someone I have to find." He continued before Iroha could reply, "This is something only I can do, no one else, not even Honne or N.N.D themselves."

An unconvinced frown plastered on the girl's face.

"Please understand, Iroha, I know what I'm doing. I would willingly bring miss Rin as well, but…" The robot dropped his head with a sigh, "That would be impossible. Aside from that, Mikuo would get suspicious. I have to do this alone."

After a few moments of silence, Iroha fixed her helmet and caved in with a sigh.

"… Fine, I won't get in your way," she tried to grin at him through obvious worry, "n-not this time anyway…"

Gachapoid smiled at her gratefully, "Thank you. I owe you everything."

A harsh giggle escaped from the normally bubbly, childish android. "Ryuto-chan, you dummy," she said with a shake of her head before pulling him into a brief hug, "just come back safely." They pulled apart with him nodding slowly.

"You have my word for it." With a turn, he opened the door and gazed outside. A wide, dark alleyway leading to the streets was the ticket to his fate. He took the first few steps until Iroha spoke up again.

"She'll be going through a hard time soon, especially now since you won't be there to help." he turned around and smiled sadly.

"I know. But this is for the best."

Iroha tried again, "She'll miss you a lot. Can't you tell she really loves you?"

Gachapoid almost chuckled, "I love my mistress too," he said, "more than anything in this world, actually. But because I love her is why I am doing this." Iroha groaned and shook her head in severe frustration, causing her fuchsia hair to copy her actions.

"I give up. You're too good."

"Please look after miss Rin for me." he said with a slight smile, "She may be a handful at times, but she really is a joy to have in this world... and she's far more precious than sparkling gems... she's my treasure."

"Oh how ironic, I get to baby-sit someone who's older than me." The android girl answered with a roll of her eyes, "The VOCALOID herself, oh what joy."

His jade eyes twinkled.

"Thank you, Iroha. For everything." With that, he started walking off. Iroha watched him while fiddling with a loose strand of pink hair, then she called out;

"Ryuto-chaaaan! Who's the person you're looking for?" This time, Gachapoid didn't bother to turn and instead kept walking. Iroha sighed and slumped back. "Mou." She watched him until he disappeared into the distance.

She didn't notice a purple butterfly that flew past.

* * *

**A purple butterfly on your right shoulder**

**We kissed in the corner of the room**

**I learned what it's like to have a heartrending feeling**

**Sounds of a piano rebounded,**

**Dissonance in my head**

* * *

**A/N: **So I'm like, finally done. Who is it Gachapoid's looking for anyway? You'll just have to find out later on. Also… if you're wondering why he was constantly called Ryuto several times, it's because it's his real name. (GachapoidR3000 is a service reference.)

**Daily Poll Results!**

1st Place - Rin Kagamine/Takeshi 49 votes

2nd Place - Len Kagamine 42 votes

3rd Place - Kaito 8 votes

4th Place - Teto Kasane 6 votes

5th Place - Meiko, Mikuo Hatsune, Nami Kagamine, Dell (All tied) 4 votes each

6th Place - Prof. Kamui Gakupo, Miriam, GachapoidR300/Gacha, Iroha Nekomura (All tied) 3 votes each

7th Place - Luka Megurine, Kaiko Shion (Both Tied) 2 votes each

8th Place - Ted, Dr. 'X' (Both Tied) 1 vote each

Surprised? Once again, our beloved Rin takes the lead with Len as the runner-up! The star protagonist remains mild and ever-sweet, though a bit of a crybaby. Despite her lack of temper, you better watch out when it _does_ blow off!

Ah, and it seems Len-kun has taken second place once again! But isn't he normally the popular one? Oh well, his open and friendly demeanor wins him the place of being runner-up. Though he's bit sensitive when it comes to being called names, like shota (no thanks to Kaito).

By the way, **XxX-Miki-chan-XxX **is almost finished with one of the 'Project: VOCALOID' covers! Not to mention **bsra** from deviant art . Com has bravely volunteered to do a MMD trailer of this story itself~! XD And now PV character profiles are now being loaded up on livejounal . Com! See my prof. for later details and other breaking news.

Thanks a lot, everyone!

**Reviews = Motivation to write**

_Next time on Project: VOCALOID... __Chapter 17 - **Daughter of Evil**_

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	17. Daughter of Evil

_**Disclaimer~ I will own the Vocaloids… someday. I shall soon buy 'em off and create this magnificent piece of work into a reality… THAT MEANS THIS WILL BECOME AN ANIME/MANGA SERIES! I WILL PAY ASIANS TO DRAW EVERYTHING OUT… but like I said, it will be someday.**_

**~Warning - **This page contains **swearing, domestic violence, **and **crude humor.**

**Bold: **Stands for singing, VOCALOID mode, and so on.

_Italics: _Stands for German, specific words, insane screaming, trancelike dreams/flashbacks, etc.

I have the oddest feeling that some of my fans might be a _teensy_ bit mad at me for not updating all this time, eh heh heh. I'm really, _really_ sorry! I'm in high school now and it's things have been happening. I really don't have a better excuse but dearest readers; I am at your mercy. It took me a while to recover from the last update. But here's a chapter that'll drive you to the edge of your seat!

Because it's taken me such a loooong time to update, you guys may rain down the ultimate punishment on me... by not reviewing. T-T

At the cost of Miku's absence, the backstory characters and subplots emerge.

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**Hatsune Household**

**6:29**

**Miku's POV**

"_Reports indicate that just yesterday at 5:10 PM, a supernatural battle occurring on the Fujiyama Amusement grounds. One between a teenage girl and a real-live android. Half of the metropolitan police squad are crippled from the event. Authorities caution anyone who's seen a picture of this girl, blonde hair, blue eyes, her height is estimated around 5'2''..."_

The news echoed from inside mother's room. I knocked on her door several times before allowing myself in with the food tray I carried. Mother's wheelchair sat in front of the television. The lights were dimmed. A faint smell of cough medicine and laundry seeped into my nose. I sighed; she'd been overworking herself again. I turned on the lights and walked to her.

"Miku?" she asked groggily. Slowly, she turned her head, smiling. "Are you going to school today?" A single braid trailed down her shoulder, it was her usual hairstyle. Premature wrinkles had settled on her dear face. I smiled.

"Yes."

She laughed softly. "Lovely."

My smile vanished. There were times whenever I came home from school, mother would have accidents. Last time I left her here, she collapsed out of her wheelchair. Lowering my school bag, I got on my knees. "Are you sure you'll be alright on your own?"

"Of course. You've missed school too many times because of me." she said gently.

I laughed, "I've only missed three days. Besides, it was a break." There weren't enough breaks for me just to hang out with mother. She's amazing; I'd miss school just to be with her. "Just don't forget to take your medicine before nine o'clock. Also, don't do any chores this time! I've told you several times I'll do them, including making dinner." Mom placed a hand on her cheek, sighing.

"I suppose you're right."

I grinned and kissed her cheek. "Love you." I picked up my bag and headed out the door. The weather was chilly, the air felt tight, cold, and crisp and the trees were browned, not to mention all the leaves everywhere on the streets. It was mid-November. Shivering, I pulled my jacket closer and headed to the subway station. While walking, I wondered how everyone else did on the exams… I sighed at the thought of making up all the work. Well, staying home is more important. After all, mother can't do everything by herself.

Tokyo Metro, which reeked of smoke and perspiration, was my least favorite place in the world. After buying my ticket, I waited for the next stop by the soda machine. I noticed the section of vegetable juice (my favorite drink). My watch told me it was six-thirty, at least thirty minutes before school started. I hurriedly pulled out a few yen coins before shoving them into the slot. "Oh!" Being clumsy me, I dropped a coin. Just as I bent down to pick it up, a hand grabbed it first. I looked up.

A small boy with dark green hair and emerald eyes stood in front of me, giving me the coin I had dropped. I smiled because he looked so adorable. "Thank-" Before I could thank him, he immediately boarded the train. I crinkled my forehead and followed after him. Excusing myself from the small crowd of passengers, I took a window seat and looked out the glass. I sighed as the trees and houses zipped past. Suddenly, just as the moving train passed the next stop, I saw something. Along the mass of civilians, I could've sworn I had seen one particular person; Mikuo. In a split second, our eyes met. He stood at the edge of the walk, smiling mysteriously. I gasped. Time seemed to freeze at the one moment as he slowly bowed… then, he was gone.

I closed my eyes as memories came back to me. I remembered back then, there was a time when my family was like a car on four wheels; mom, dad, me and Mikuo. Our lives were once perfect and happy. During the first five years, Mikuo and I used to race each other from school to mom's fuchsia car so we could go on family picnics. Every Christmas, we would stay up late and wait for Santa before eventually falling asleep. Family nights were the best. Everyone took turns deciding where to go out. I always chose karaoke joints.

Yes, those were happiest days of my life.

That is, until the car accident.

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 17**

**Daughter of Evil**

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"_Mikuo! Give it back!" Eight-year-old Miku screamed, her face grew scarlet. With a furious cry, she launched herself at her younger twin and they wrestled for the PSP. "It's mine! I won it!" Her pigtails came loose and her hair tumbled down her shoulders in a thick teal forest. The other boy grimaced, trying to shove her away. "Miiiikuoooo!"_

_"But it's my turn."_

"_You've had it long enough! Your fifteen minutes are up!"_

"_Enough, you two." Mother sent them reprimanding looks from the rearview mirror. _

_"Your father can't drive with the racket you're making." _

_Miku bounced up and down her seat indignantly, scowling. "But it's my turn!" Mikuo continued playing. "Daddy! Tell Mikuo that it's my turn already!"_

_Father sighed tiredly._ "_Mom and dad are exhausted, honey. Please just wait until we get home." Miku bit her lip childishly but huffed and sank back into her seat. She glared at Mikuo all the while, though he remained oblivious. Irritated and bored, she smoothed out the wrinkles of her favorite pink princess dress. It was until Mikuo finally paused the game and looked over at his pouting sister. He sighed and scooted himself closer to her meekly._

_"Hmph."_

_Quietly, he said. "I'm working on this song for you to sing. If you let me keep playing, you can sing part of it." Miku's eyes brightened. She loved his songs! Especially ones she got to sing to. Mikuo was a really cool pianist, he could compose a few simple pieces here and there. But his songs were the best. She couldn't help but bounce up and down in excitement._

_"Okay!" she squealed._

_Mikuo smiled charmingly and patted her head. "It's a promise, then." Suddenly, mother and father were screaming, causing the twins to turn. Their eyes widened as a wide-load truck came speeding down their lane, coming towards them-_**CRASH! **_Miku screamed and covered her eyes as glass shards flew everywhere. A horrible smashing noise boomed as the room crushed in around them. Her head was suddenly thrown back against the leather seat. _

_The boy's eyes widened as something large and sharp penetrated the windshield. The sharp blade drove between the front seats, towards his elder sister. Without even thinking, he embraced her, covering her little body with his own._

_A sickening crunch was heard._

_"EYAH!"_

_Everything happened in a flash._

_The car rolled upside-down on the side of the road. It looked like a wreck. Smoke rose from the broken engine and oil dripped from its gutters. Its once shiny fuchsia surface damaged. Miku groaned. Something hot and heavy weighed down her body. She couldn't move and everything felt hazy. Slowly, her eyes opened._

_A gasp._

_Right above her was Mikuo. Something like a sharp sword impaled his chest. A dark red liquid seeped through his vest, staining it. It was hot and sticky. Those charming eyes of his were no longer full of sensibility, but empty and lifeless. His mouth hung open slightly as blood dribbled from his lips. Slowly, his head nodded before he went limp and collapsed against her._

_Tears filled her eyes. Her mouth opened, ready to scream, but her voice came out dry and hoarse. "Mikuo..." O-Oh... no... No, no, no, no! Not her brother... not her little brother! No! This can't be happening! Why? Why did he do such a thing?_

_Grief and sorrow overcame the little girl. She no longer cared about anything else. She felt as if someone had broken her arms._

_"Mikuo, wake up! Please wake up!" she whimpered. "Mommy, Daddy! Help! It's Mikuo! Help us!" Miku begged for her parents to come and help, but alas, they suffered bleeding concussions and were knocked out. She was the only one awake. Salty, fat tears rolled down the sides of her face as she finally began wailing. Blaring sirens approaching the mangled vehicle fell deaf on her ears. Instead, she grabbed Mikuo's limp body and hugged him with the remaining strength she had, sobbing and hiccupping._

_Why had he saved her? __**Why**__? She was supposed to be the big sister! She should've protected him!_

_Finally, she began to bawl._

"_MIKUOOOOO!"_

"Are you alright, dearie?" Someone gently shook me. I gasped and sat upright. A sweet, elderly woman looked at me worriedly. "You looked like you were having a nightmare."

I blinked, "Did I fall asleep?"

She laughed. "Yes." The train slowed to a stop and the doors slid open. "It's bad luck to fall asleep on trains, you know. My grandchildren always tell me I'm too superstitious about things but there are things to be wary of when you grow old." A smile stretched my face as I quickly moved out of the cart.

"I agree." After waving goodbye to the lady, I quickly rushed to school. My shadow chased me down the sidewalk. A big sigh escaped me as I thought about the dream, which was in fact, a terrible memory.

Seven years ago, me and my family were in a car accident. We were coming home from Arcade-Mania, the special spot Mikuo chose for family night, until a drunk truck driver crashed into us. Mikuo died that evening while my parents and I survived. He had sacrificed himself to save me from getting impaled by the car's frame. By the time the ambulance arrived, it was too late. He already died from major blood loss.

Mother and daddy survived. But mother could never walk again because her legs were crushed beneath the dashboard. Daddy eventually drifted away from us because of work. He was a scientist, after all. He's in Germany right now. Neither knew about Mikuo's return.

Familiar tears burned my eyes. Quickly and gapingly, I wiped them away. It's funny how guilt has its way of creeping up on you at the most unexpected times. No matter how much I tried to forget, I couldn't help thinking that I should've died instead. Not Mikuo. Never Mikuo. I failed to protect him, my little brother.

And now, out of the blue, he's back.

_Alive._

It scared me.

My feet sprinted across the school's browning grass, which tickled my ankles. The lively chattering and bustling of high school students filled my ears again, allowing me to forget about my revived brother. I smiled blissfully.

"Ah, it's good to be back." I made my way past other students towards my locker. Nothing had changed since I was gone. Of course, it had only been over the break. But today feltl strangely new. Not to mention that I couldn't wait seeing Len again! My face heated up at the thought of my dreamy, gentlemanly crush. I smiled as I skipped down the hall. Giddily, I twisted my locker combination around.

Ooooooh, I can't wait to see him!

"Hey, I wonder if Kagamine-chan is coming to school today…" A girl beside me whispered to her friend. I normally ignore gossip because it's so stupid and mean, but I couldn't help but overhear.

The other girl looked appalled. "Don't be ridiculous! That Kagamine girl is suspended," she huffed, "not that she doesn't deserve it." My eyes popped open. So, they were talking about Rin! But what did she do that caused her suspension? I always suspected her to be troublesome, but this…

"She's so _scary_!" the first girl shivered. "After what she did to Luka-san… I can't believe she would do that to someone so thoughtful and nice!"

"Well, _I_ can't believe Len-kun is related to that… that _psychopath_. It must be awful for him."

"Poor Len-sama." The first girl agreed.

"Mitsuru told me that before she moved here, she'd been living in an asylum because of the children she's killed by putting them into a meat grinder. Not only that, but she's also been involved in drug dealing."

A gasp. "Shut up!"

"Really, Hirono! Kagamine-chan is _evil_, possibly the devil's daughter! Plus, it's the word around school, it's obviously true!"

"Good thing we're nothing like her!"

I felt uneasy all of a sudden, having to eavesdrop like this. Everything they were saying, it sounded so unreal. I mean… a 14-year-old murdering children and drug dealing! Gossip around school was never this extreme! One part of me refused to believe this, but another part couldn't help but admit that things like these _did_ happen in this terrible world, after all. A large bang sounded. Like a fist punching the metal lockers. The girls gasped. I blinked upon seeing whose fist it belonged to.

"Jesus, don't you people have anything better to do than gossip all the time?" Meiko hissed. She appeared incredibly angry and exhausted. Dark circles rounded beneath her eyes and her hair flew everywhere, messy and uncombed. "You talk about Rin as if you know her, but you don't."

"But senpai! We saw what happened before break! When Kagamine almost strangled Megurine to death!"

My eyes widened.

Meiko glared, causing them both to grow quiet. "What happened was an accident. Rin and Luka already made up, you ask can them." They blinked. "But I don't take kindly to those who talk about my friends that way, especially not gossipers. Unless you two have something better to talk about…" she suddenly snarled, "Get to class." The two girls exchanged glances before running off. "Che." she huffed and looked at me. "Hatsune."

I attempted to smile, "Hi, Meiko."

She frowned. "You're back."

I nodded. No one said anything. Meiko turned around to leave. I immediately stopped her.

"Wait!"

Meiko stopped and then turned around with an agitated expression. "What?" she almost barked, making me flinch. I shuffled around nervously before meeting her eyes. Obviously, she had changed quite a bit since middle school. True, she was still fierce as she was compassionate, but her body had clearly exploded into becoming voluptuous and feminine. One that made me envious of. High cheekbones, ferocious curves, big breasts... let's just say I've always been jealous of her. Looks and all.

"Let's talk," I said before adding, "please."

A scoff. "And why would I want to do that?"

I hesitated before replying, "Because… we were friends once." Meiko didn't answer. She looked at me suspiciously. I resorted to begging. "Please, Meiko. It's important, I… I _really_ need to discuss something with you. Please." After a long silence, she tilted her head in a nod. It was a very slight one, but a nod nonetheless. I smiled gratefully. "Thank you." Luckily, class didn't start for another twenty minutes. We headed to an empty section in the hall, where we could quietly converse. Meiko slumped against the corner and sighed.

"This better be quick. I have to meet up with Kaito soon."

"It won't take long." I promised.

Meiko looked at me uninterestedly, "What'd you want?" I took a deep breath and straightened myself. It's been so long since we last talked, so it felt awkward. The fact she severely disliked me... but, I had to get this off my chest.

"Is what those girls said true?" I asked. "Did Rin strangle-?"

"It was just an accident." she answered coldly. "Both were affected by what happened, but they're better friends now."

I blinked. "I... see."

Meiko sighed and got up, dusting off her skirt. "It's true about what happened, but it's not how it sounds, okay? It really was an accident. Rin's a really good person." she said and started walking away, "Ignore the tall tales and forget we ever talked." My eyes widened. She... she was leaving already?

"Wait!" I shouted. Meiko stopped and sighed, turning around.

"What now?"

"I-I'm..." I started, swallowing. Remember, Miku. Remember that incident three years ago? You still owe her an apology. I gulped and finally bowed lowly. "I'm… sorry," I spoke, bowing my head, "for what I did back then. I know… I know you're still angry." Sorrow filled me. "I was jealous and stupid. I knew you would've won instead of me, so I did it. I'm really, really sorry."

Meiko blinked. Apparently, she looked surprised. Then, she recovered and scoffed.

"So you waited three years to apologize?" She asked bitterly. "Wow. I have to say your timing sucks." A wave of heat took over my face and I nodded guiltily. "I mean, I can't believe you back-stabbed me like that! I knew you were shy, so I decided to help you. Apparently, this is the thanks I get!"

I swallowed, too ashamed to speak. I could see the past hurt returning to her eyes, though she covered it up with pride. A harsh laugh erupted. "Might as well have said beforehand, 'Oh, Meiko! I hate that we're rivals and all but I'm going to do everything to win! That includes stuffing you in a broom closet full of spiders!"

"Yes... I'm so sorry." For a moment, I could've sworn the sadness flash across her eyes. But when I looked again, it was gone.

She broke into a sour grin. "Don't give me that. You're probably still glad you got the trophy! Huh, ms. Diva?"

"Meiko, please..."

"We're done here." she snapped and turned her heel. "Don't you ever speak to me again, Hatsune."And she started walking off, leaving me frustrated.

Meiko and I were great friends in middle school. In fact, we were best friends. She was a bold 8th-grader, and I was a timid 6th-grader. We got to know each other after she defended me from a sleazy bully. I would help her with 'feminine problems' and she would defend me from bullies. We had a lot in common, despite our differences. We shared the same dreams of becoming pop idols and after school and we'd often sing duets together in the music hall. Because of her, I was able to become strong. We did almost everything together back then.

Then came 'Project Diva'.

It was an annual singing competition for girls aged 12 and up (it also took place in Tokyo, in the Imperial East Gardens). At first, I didn't want to compete because of my horrible case of stage fright back then and also because of the large number of competitors. It was Meiko who convinced me to go.

"_Believe in yourself, Miku. You and me... we both know we're the best singers ever. If neither of us get the trophy, the judges will suffer a major beat-down, personally by me."_

Thirty girls made it into the semi-finals, including Meiko and myself. But by the time we found out we were about to go against each other, I'd lost my nerve. I wanted nothing more than to become crowned 'Diva'. So I did the most terrible thing.

I betrayed Meiko.

My breath tightened upon remembering. I'd lured her away two minutes before it was her turn to sing in the finals. That was when I locked her into a broom closet while I took her place. By the time she managed to get out, it was too late. I'd won the competition after singing 'World is Mine' I'd worked so hard to perfect every night. But I never forgot the look on her face as fans carried me away that night. I was surprised she never reported me. But I still lived with the guilt.

Since then, we never spoke to each other again.

And it's all because of me…

God, I'm such a selfish, _selfish_ person!

"MEIKO!" Something wet trailed down the side of my face. I knew what it was, but I ignored it. I smiled tearfully, nearly choking in the process. "I just wanted you to know... back then, you were my only friend even though I was way out of your league. So, thank you!" Meiko didn't stop walking, neither did she answer back. But I was sure she heard me.

And that was enough.

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**Rin's POV**

It was odd. Headmaster stared at the ones who called themselves 'NND'. The NND smiled back. Nami and I stood there, idle. Finally, Headmaster broke the silence by coughing. "A-Ahem, right. So, what you're saying is, all... three of you were assigned by the school board to apply as the school's prefects?"

Miss Lola smiled. "Yes, sir. We have our contracts right here." She handed the papers to Headmaster, who warily skimmed through the readings before raising an eyebrow.

"I'm a bit skeptical... it seems rather strange. I mean, why so suddenly?"

The one called Al crossed his tanned, buff arms and scowled unprofessionally. "Look, yo. We had a hard time getting here. Directions and traffic and all. If you gotta problem, you betta mess wit' them officials. But they's get pretty mad easy..."

Headmaster blinked, then shook his head fearfully. "N-No need for that. It's just that I've been informed on such short notice... but no matter." He fixed his glasses and got up, his hair swishing around him like a silky, dark curtain. "But I suppose this school is starting to get unruly," he cast me a strange look, making me shiver. "Very well. Miss Hako will direct you around the school. She will give you staff uniforms later on."

"Do we get badges?" asked the girl called Iroha.

"...If you prefer."

Al roughly patted the Headmaster's back, making him gasp in pain. "Good man. I likes you." He smirked before walking towards me. "Keep yer'self out of trouble, ya?" He, the Headmaster, and miss Lola went out the door. Iroha, however, stayed and handed me something. It was orange and odd-shaped, with numbered buttons and a strange black screen.

I blinked.

"This is?"

"A cellphone, it's yours." Iroha said and operated the item. "If you ever find yourself in trouble, scroll the list and contact one of these numbers and the NND will come to your rescue." she broke away and smiled, "Enemies are everywhere, you know. We need you to be careful." she paused before adding quietly, "Gacha-kun wants you safe, Rin-chan." My eyes widened slightly. Gacha hadn't appeared for several days now and it worried me. Before I could ask anything, Iroha slipped away.

Nami winked at me knowingly before speaking up. "Director-san, is it true my daughter will be confined inside a small room everyday for the rest of the semester?"

Headmaster fixed his glasses. "Not necessarily. Because of Rin-san's remarkable grades, she will be able to wander school grounds under supervision. But for most days, she's only allowed to stay in the office." My thoughts drifted. I closed my eyes in attempt to soothe my running mind. Since a few nights ago, Mr. Dell ordered those NND people to go to this school and sign up as prefects in order to protect me from evil people like that German-speaking red woman. No one talked to me after that. Even Len, he had grown distant. Gacha had disappeared as well. It was surely unbelievable... here I was, locked here all alone. I could no longer see Teto, Luka, Meiko or Kaito...

Or even Len. I frowned and lowered my head. Recently, he's been distant to me and I couldn't comprehend why. Whenever we were in the same room, he would do his best to stay clear of me. He would no longer ask about my day, nor would he teach me how to do a certain thing... he wouldn't even look me in the eye anymore. Yesterday, when I approached him, he immediately walked away.

Is Len... avoiding me?

"Headmaster?" A woman dressed in a gray dress stood in the doorway.

The woman was inexpiably pale and veins lined her skin. Her hair was long and tied back in a ponytail loosely held back by a purple ribbon. I at first fathomed her hair to look gray. But that was until I noticed the gold sheen to it, making it appear silvery, like naked moonlight. Her eyes were blood-red, somewhat sad. But what struck me most was her sad, lonely smile.

Headmaster fixed his glasses, nodding. "Yowane," he gestured to Nami and me. "I would like you to meet Kagamine Nami and her daughter, Rin. Also..., this is Yowane Haku, our newest staff member and the main director for the upcoming play."

Nami smiled cheerily and bowed, "Great to meet you, Teacher Yowane!"

Teacher Yowane did likewise. "And I you. But please call me ms. Haku." her gaze dropped to me. "Oh. What a lovely daughter you have."

A grin swept Nami. "Isn't she~?"

Ms. Haku lowered herself and smiled softly, "Hello." I immediately bowed, not wishing to disrespect her. "You must be that girl everyone is talking about around school. My, aren't you popular?" I nodded quickly, feeling my mouth run dry. Her ruby eyes glittered as a low chuckle escaped from her throat. "You're quite regal, Rin-chan... ah, pardon me. May I call you that?"

"Y-Yes." I whispered.

Nami beamed. "You're a hipster, Ms. Yowane... Let me guess, you're twenty-five?"

Ms. Haku chuckled. "Just add twenty years to that."

A gasp emitted from Nami. "O-Oh... my! I never would've thought...! But you look so young!" Ms. Haku laughed, though it sounded hollow.

Headmaster spoke up. "I believe Yowane teaches Kaito's class."

"Ah, Kaito?" Ms. Haku echoed. A strange look settled her features before disappearing. "Yes. He's a student of mine. A little unruly on the sides, but... he's just like his father." she suddenly smiled. This time, it looked warm. I blinked. Nami looked confused. She gasped shortly before chuckling. "Well, i-it's a hypothetical guess..." Headmaster nodded before looking at us. With a slight smile, he patted my head.

"Right. Go to the other room, Rin-san. A student will bring your schoolwork over shortly." he said. I nodded. Before I could, however, Ms. Haku spoke up.

"No need for that, Headmaster. I've actually been looking for Rin-chan." Headmaster stared at Ms. Haku, who was smiling. I stared too, momentarily forgetting my manners. "It seems to me your students are talking about Rin-chan, about how ridiculously... wicked she is. Pardon me, but I couldn't help but overhear the gossip. It's been swirling the building." My feet rocked uncomfortably. "But I can see she's a remarkable star pupil with quality..." she looked at me, "and allow me to add you're obviously sincere, contrary to what I've heard. " I blushed hearing such kind words.

"Your point?" Headmaster asked.

"I think I know how she can earn a second chance from both Headmaster and the students..." she said, an unfathomable look settled her livid features. Then, she lowered herself down to my level and stroked my cheek.

"Eh?"

"Rin-chan," she smiled mysteriously, "would you like to be a princess?"

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**Kaito's POV**

The worst night of my life happened three days ago. It was almost as traumatizing as the night my mother disappeared. Three days ago was when I found out everyone who's related to me by blood, Dad, Kaiko… maybe even mom.

I cursed and banged my head against the table.

Rin apparently turned into this destructive terminator who destroys everything in her path when given trauma. Meiko and me found everything out the night our friends got together to hang out at the new theme park. It was shocking to wake up inside an underground base, like the ones from the sci-fi movies. But what really surprised me was finding Kaiko and a funky group calling themselves 'NND' treating me and Meiko (we were apparently battered up).

They explained _everything_. Including Rin's past.

My own blood family lied to me.

Dad especially. He's not a veteran, but the founder of Internet Ctd. He didn't know Rin the night she arrived, he just 'happened' to support her birth seven years ago. Worst of all, he knew we were in a dangerous, life-threatening situation with Rin here but kept us (including me!) in the dark.

Even Kaiko too! She tricked me into believing she'd settled down in Hokkaido and kept refusing my advances to visit because she was too busy. Busy, damn it… she was under my nose the entire time for over a year!

Now, things in school are worse than ever. Everyone is talking about the fight between Rin and Megurine, plus that epic android battle captured on the news. People are suspicious Rin is the mysterious cyborg since she looks like the girl shown in the news, of course the picture looked pretty obscured. Right now, the 'twins', me, and Meiko were avoiding everyone. Rin is being held in the office for I.S.S*

As for Shota, he's taking the matter pretty hard; he hasn't been talking much lately.

Classes went by slowly, making this day feel like an eternity.

Me, Meiko, and Len sat by ourselves at the farthest end of the cafeteria, isolated from everyone else. We normally didn't mind sitting with other people as we regularly did. Today we were acting like an uninviting clique, but none of us had the heart to care. Meiko quietly drank from her red soup canteen, vapory steam rose from its contents. Shota and I ate our sandwiches.

Sigh.

"Anyone had a rough night?" Shota finally asked. I nodded.

"Yeah," Meiko smiled wearily, "you?"

"Same."

"Seen Teto or Luka today?"

"Haven't."

"Oh..." Then, the announcements came on.

_"Good morning, Seija Academy." _My head lifted on recognizing Ms. Haku's voice on the intercom. _"Today is the cast and crew auditions for the Story of Evil play. I, Ms. Haku and my aide, Hatsune Mikuo-kun are the directors. Come by the auditorium at this time during this period. You may eat your lunches there so long as you clean up afterwards."_

"Huh." Meiko mumbled interestedly.

_"Please worry not if you have heavy schoolwork. Teachers in the building are required to excuse those participating in the play. Our show displays Seija Academy's proud and clean image, and we don't tolerate untalented juvenile students who play hooky or fail their homeroom class."_

I snorted.

"Sounds like a gig for drama club."

_"Notably, this is for anyone who's interested. The drama club members are willing to mentor feedback. Especially for you, Kaito-kun." _Ms. Haku stated eloquently, and I nearly fell out of my chair._ "Thank you, everyone and have a nice day."_A click of the receiver and she was offline.

After regaining my senses, I crossed my arms and snorted. "She may be pretty hot and all, but sometimes she can be a real pain in the ass. 'Specially in class." Meiko's face hardened for some reason. The intercom came on again.

_"Oh, yes… I forgot to mention this one tiny, little detail."_ Ms. Haku laughed. _"It's speculated that ninth-grader, Kagamine Rin may take take on the role as Rillianne Lucifen d'Auntriche."_ We both perked at the mention of Rin. _"Unless you ladies aren't interested as the leading lady, you must hurry!" _Meiko suddenly grabbed me and Len headed through the doors. We both cried out as she practically dragged us both down the hall.

"Meiko-nee! What are you doing?" Shota demanded, grabbing his dropped books from the ground.

"Signing us up."

"What!" I gasped and struggled to remove her iron-grip from my scarf. She was choking me, and I couldn't breathe. Plus, I don't exactly hit girls. "Why…?" I rasped between gasps. "You know we don't have time for-!"

"The way she mentioned Rin, it was freaky." she said, her voice serious. "There's something off about that teacher. She must've already known about Rin's ruined reputation. Assigning her the role as someone so evil and despicable!"

"So? It's just a play."

Len glared. "Idiot, people will start giving Rin more trouble and even the NND won't be able to protect her at all times!" Meiko whacked me upside the head. "If we let this slide, she may go crazy again! Like that park incident!" I flinched upon hearing that mentioned. "We gotta keep an eye on her. If we don't…"

"Someone could get hurt." I mumbled, remembering Megurine.

"Exactly," Meiko nodded and turned a right corner. "We gotta give it our best too." I nodded. Well, they're right, I decided. We have to protect bunny-chan.

I groaned. "But why do gotta I be involved? I hate plays!"

Meiko glared at me. "Learn to like them." I puffed in annoyance but grumbled my consent. "Good. All of us know Rin-chan is nothing like princess Rillianne. We just have to convince ms. Haku not to give Rin that part." I raised a brow.

"What's so bad about that Rillianne chick?"

Len raised an eyebrow at me. "Haven't you read the book?"

"Hell no. Reading sucks."

Meiko scoffed and threw open the auditorium doors. "Basically, there's this spoiled princess who rules a corrupted kingdom... and she causes a lot havoc and is afterward overthrown by a revolution." She stuffed us into the front row seats and crossed her arms as she looked up at the front. "'Course, there's this servant who sees nothing but good in her. Supposedly, he's the princess's twin brother. On the day of the execution, they switch places and he's the one who gets killed." I whistled.

"Gruesome."

"That's only the short version." Someone stated behind us. It was Megurine, Hatsune girl... and Kasane girl. "I recall explaining this before a few months back, right?" Megurine smiled.

"Megurine-san, Kasane-san..." Len uttered before his eyes popped open, "Miku! You're back and...! What are you doing here?"

Kasane girl looked at him strangely. "What? Is there something wrong with coming here to skip class?" she snorted. "A lot of people are here too, y'know." she gestured to the students crowded around the seated aisles. Some of them were my classmates while others looked like they were freshman. Preppies, athletes and nerds... even the goths were here! I noticed the Sukone girl sitting by herself at the far end of the room, muttering to herself.

Creepy.

Pigtails smiled at him. "Hi." For some reason, it looked as if she and Meiko were avoiding each other's eyes. "Are you interested in starring in the play?" she asked, curious. Huh. Predictably, a shy look came across Len's face and he stuttered nervously. Same old habits.

"I guess you could say that." he laughed bashfully. "You?"

Pigtail's smile widened. "Yes, it sounds so interesting." Len grinned right before a screeching cry blared throughout the room, making my ears bleed. I winced to see my homeroom teacher, ms. Haku running up to the brightly lit stage with the thick red curtains closing up. A calm, serene expression formed her face as she waved a giant yellow megaphone in the air. "One of the directors. I think she's cool." Pigtails remarked.

Teto shuddered. "Someone get a gravedigger."

"Everyone, this meeting is now in session. Please settle yourselves down!" Ms. Haku spoke in a clear, but not-so-loud voice. Students immediately sat with their friends and classmates. Some of them ate their lunches here. My homeroom teacher smiled charmingly. "It pleases me to see such a large audience. Not many youngsters I know would bother showing up. Apparently, to them, theatre is 'uncool." she air-quoted. There was scattered laughter. "But thank you all for coming here today. Before we move on, I'd like to introduce you to the staff. First off, my aide..." A suave teal-haired boy, looking fifteen, made his way up the stairs and joined Ms. Haku onstage. He bowed to everyone. "This is freshman Hatsune Mikuo-kun, everyone. He is the second director and also the one-man instrumentalist for the play. Because of his experience with acting and playwright, he will provide a great contribution."

"But I'll take no such credit," Hatsune smiled, causing some girls to swoon. "I am an amateur after all."

"Allow me to summarize what the play is about." Ms. Haku announced with a peaceful smile. She looked over towards me, her smile widening. I blinked. Why was she staring at me? "Princess Rillianne Lucifen d'Auntriche rules the land of Lucifenia, informally nicknamed the 'Kingdom of Yellow'. While her parents ruled with goodness and prosperity, she terrorizes the people with her evil reign." she continued, "Her favorite servant and incognito twin brother, Allen, is the only person who will do anything for her."

"The 'Daughter' and 'Servant' of Evil, as they were called, would eventually have their secret clockwork of fate spin plunge into tragic and twisted outcomes. Of course, that's only the short version." Mikuo finished, before smiling as well. "While our play is mainly based off the novel, there are some differences. Ours happens to be much more exciting and fun version." He laughed. "Any questions?" No one spoke up.

"We aim to make this a tragicomedy." Ms. Haku stated as she rolled out a large paper on a stand. I snorted. Tragicomedy... hmph. I still don't wanna sign up. "Now, to the ones interested in actually performing... please go up and sign their names on the amida* drawing board, that way everyone gets a fair chance at getting each role. Those who aren't interested, you are free to go." Chatters broke out and half of the students got up to leave, apparently uninterested. The other half shot up to the stage.

Meiko blinked. "_This_ is the auditioning?" She immediately scowled. "The hell? Aren't plays meant for people who can actually put up a decent performance? This is amateur crap!" she exclaimed. "What'll happen if the actors suck-no-, what if _everything_ sucks? This is gonna be a huge mess!" I had to agree. This meeting was nothing like I had in mind.

Megurine frowned. "Don't say such things. We have the drama club members and two wonderful directors to help us out..." she looked ahead, "I think I'll sign up." Pigtails nodded in agreement.

"Me too."

"Me three!" Teto exclaimed. Then, she turned to us. "What about you guys?"

Meiko sighed before nodding. I shrugged. Shota, however, looked around with a frown. "But where's Rin? I thought she'd be here." Pigtails didn't look too pleased with that statement.

"She's fine, I'm sure." she said dryly before taking his sleeve and coaxing Shota up the stage. "At any rate, let's hurry and sign up together!" All of us headed up the stage and randomly picked a spot to sign our names before heading back to our seats. Sightlessly and tiredly, I collapsed on the red leather seat, its comfortable impact nearly knocking me to sleep.

"Whoa, no way!" A loud, boisterous voice shocked me back awake. A laughing Akaito stood above me with Ted yawning behind him. "You're all signing up for the play, too!" I blinked around to see Len and his pigtailed girlfriend flirting upstage (it was more like them chattering and laughing with Pigtails clinging to his right arm).

PDA, anyone?

"I was forced, man. I better be working backstage" I answered bitterly. "I'm surprised you two are actually up for this."

Akaito grinned cheekily, "What can I say? It's a gift."

"Gift..." Ted murmured.

"Me and Ted, we're gonna be the best actors out there!" Akaito laughed again, dusting down his crinkled uniform. "Ain't that right, brother?" Ted yawned. I ran a hand through my scraggly blue hair. Damn, I need a haircut. "Oh yeah, whatever happened to you guys three days ago? Y'know, during that Ferris wheel episode?" I blinked in total bewilderment. Then, it hit me.

Crap, it's not like I can tell them the truth! C'mon, c'mon... gotta think of a good excuse!

"Uuuhhhh..." I began awkwardly before thinking of something believable. "W-Well. Me, Meiko, bunny-chan, and shota... we all kinda got together during the weird fiasco-ah, th-that weird... android battle?" Akaito grinned. My shoulders sagged in relief.

"Yeah. Us too. Megurine and I managed to get off the coaster before that fight broke out. But we got pulled along the stampeding crowds and got separated after that. It took me two hours to get home that night... and before I knew it, we were on the news!" he said, "Crazy, ain't it?"

I laughed nervously. "Y-yeah, crazy."

"Ah! So Shion-kun and Kasane-kun are alright?" Megurine came over and clasped both hands in relief against her heavy breasts. "Thank goodness!" Her crazy cousin screamed and launched herself at Ted.

"TED-KUN~!"

"Good to see you girls again." Akaito greeted. "That was one crazy night, eh?" Luka nodded. Then, Kasane girl started wailing.

"I lost my camcorder during the riot! The hot, sexy footage is gone!"

I rose a brow. "What hot, sexy footage?"

"Look, it's Rin-san!" Megurine-chan abruptly cut in, "Oh... it looks like she's already talking to someone." We looked up to see Bunny-chan sitting in the middle row, apparently talking with male-Hatsune. A smile lit up her face as she started nodding eagerly. I stared at them, but mostly the smiling bunny-chan whose normally pale cheeks had gone pink with mirth.

Huh. She seems pretty happy.

A blare of a horn, and Ms. Haku's voice rang steadily. "Everyone, here are the results! Please pay attention!" Everyone went quiet as they eagerly awaited the moment. Sweat dripped down my forehead as I breathed out numerous, fast prayers. Please God, let me work backstage, oh please don't make be perform in front of hundreds of people...! The board completely unfolded and the stage lights revealed the ultimate results.

Kagamine Rin - **Princess Rillianne/**"Daughter of Evil"

Kagamine Len - **Allen Abadonnonia/**"Servant of Evil"

Kasane Teto - **Narrator**

Meiko - **Germaine Abadonnonia/**"Swordswoman in Red Armor"

Hatsune Miku - **Michaela/**"Girl of the Kingdom of Green"

Kaito - **Kyle Marlon/**Prince of the Blue Kingdom

Sukone Tei - **Clarise/**"Daughter of White"

A pen dropped.

"WHHHHY?"

To my right, I could hear the weird Sukone girl (one of Len's rabid fans) giggling madly and hysterically clawing at herself. I saw Rin blink several times. There were lots more roles up there, mostly extras and backstage crew, but everything else was a blur as I started sobbing in my hands.

* * *

**Miku's POV**

"You really suit the part of Michaela." Len commented. "You're both smart, kind… pretty." He added quietly. I laughed, trying to be modest. Truthfully, I was really hoping to have this part. Michaela happened to be my favorite character from the novel (besides Elluka). I hugged the script against my chest, giggling. "You know... I really missed you." he said while looking down.

I blinked, then blushed.

"I-I missed you too."

We looked at each other, smiling. For a moment, I was lost in his eyes. They looked like they'd been through a lot. Tired, but happy.

"U-Um... Len-kun?"

"Miku?"

"I-I..." I suddenly found the floor very interesting. Gulping, I tried to find my voice again. Everything felt hot and dizzy. "Well... c-can I tell you something?"

"What is it?" he encouraged. My gaze traveled to his smiling face.

I took a deep breath. "W-Well... the truth is..." A gulp. "The truth is, I..." He stopped smiling and looked at me seriously. A blush broke out on my face and I immediately looked down. "T-the truth is that I-I-I-I...! I really love y-!"

"Guards! S-Seize this little thief!" My ears perked up to hear Rin's stuttering voice. Len and I looked over to see Rin and her friends reading off the script. It looked that Rin was having a hard time trying to act right.

"I beg you, highness! My family was starving and I had no choice but to borrow some of the pantry's food!" A girl, who I recognized as a sophomore, pretended to wail (quite effectively, I might add).

Rin gulped. "Not only are you a thief, but a liar as well. But w-we'll soon put an end to that…" she breathed, "To make sure you never steal again, your hands will be c-c-cut off and-!" Tears gathered in her eyes at the last part.

"OH STOP CRYING FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" Momoko, the drama club leader practically yelled at Rin. Brown hair framed her angry face. "You're not supposed to feel for the poor! You're a mean princess, got it?" Megurine hugged her reassuringly.

"Don't stop now, you're doing great."

"B-But I…!"

"No buts!" Momoko roared. "Do it again!"

Len smiled a bit. "Looks like they're giving Rin a hard time." He turned to me, "We should go over and try to help out." The rest of my courage failed me and I reluctantly agreed. Just when I was about to confess my true feelings, Rin had to butt in _again_. We sat down on the chairs and watched.

"To make sure you never steal again, y-your hands will… be…" Rin stopped, her face twisted until she suddenly wailed and ran over to Teto and Luka, tearfully grasping at their shirts. "How can the princess be so cruel, Luka? The girl was only trying to feed her family!" her constant tugging caused the fabric to stretch. I flinched seeing this spoiled inconsideration.

Neither of them seemed to mind though. Teto laughed and comfortingly patted her head. "Quit being a baby, Rinners. It's only acting."

"Yeah, Kagamine-_chaaan_~" I looked over to see a group of girls snickering, "But this shouldn't be hard for you. You and the princess complement each other… it's a perfect match, since you're both evil and all." Laughter broke.

"That isn't true." Len cut in, frowning.

"I agree." Mikuo chimed in as he walked over to us. A cold chill rushed up my spine when he smiled. "It's wonderful to see such enthusiasm. But let's try not to be so hard on Rin-san… she just needs a little help."

"What kind of help?" Teto asked, curious.

"A song," He looked over at me, his smile widening. I stared back. "Miku-chan knows what I'm talking about, right?" Old memories flashed through my head. Ones of me and Mikuo at his grand piano, he played while I sang.

"Yes." I managed to answer coolly. Mikuo sat down near a keyboard, turning it on and unfolding a binder full of music sheets. He took out a certain few, showing it to us. 'Daughter of Evil' was the title.

"This is the princess's opening song for the play. She basically informs the audience the first events; how she is ruling her kingdom." He explained. "By singing, she's also giving an idea for her misled personality." Everyone eyed him in amazement. Len eyed him warily.

"I thought this was a play," he said, "not a musical."

"True, but Ms. Haku prefers the term 'play'. As for the singing parts, the choir has volunteered to sing backstage while the actors lipsync."

"Wow." Teto commented. "So, did you composed all the songs for the play?"

"Most of them."

"Let's hear the 'Daughter of Evil!" One of the girls exclaimed, her friends agreeing. Even I, myself was curious. Len crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

Mikuo laughed, "Alright. But this is solely to help Rin-san." He looked at her, "Ready?" Rin nodded and shakily took the music sheet from him. Mikuo adjusted the synthesizer to percussion and turned the volume up. As the metronome started to play, he popped his knuckles (a habit he always did before playing) and without another moment wasted, his fingers flew across the keyboard and Rin started to sing.

"**There was once upon a time in another place; an evil kingdom who no one dared face**

**And a ruler was a girl who was so mean, a tiny little princess only age fourteen!**

**So many furniture littered her abode, her loyal servant who's likeness surely shown, Josephine was what her horse was named**

**All the riches of the world are what she had claimed."**

I was surprised. I never knew Rin had such a voice. I had to admit it sounded rather strong, with a sweet ring to it. But it would nearly crack here and there and the words came out in jerks because of her inexperience. She took a deep breath and sang the next part. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tei creeping over here with a strange look in her eyes.

"**If you're short on money, that's no fearful thing**

**Just take it from those who you dangle on a string**

**To those who feel that they want to bring me down, you'll just tidy up my gown...!"** Surprisingly, Rin's face began to change. Her expression became wicked. Her brows creased in sharp arrogance, and she threw her shoulders back in uncharacteristic confidence. I felt shocked by this sudden change.

Whaa... What just happened to her?

Nearby students, inspired by her sudden transformation, joined us. Even Meiko and Kaito-senpai came over to watch. The music Mikuo played, it was beautiful. Especially combined with Rin's strong voice. She even stood on a seat, giggling evilly and pointing a finger at me.

**"Now, bow to me!"**

Teto cheered and started clapping her hands to the beat, others copied her.

**"Evil flowers. Steadily bloom.**

**With an array of colorful doom...**

**But the weeds who feel like they want to stay, they'll just die and feed me the same way!"**

Soon, everyone started whooping.

Seeming encouraged, Rin started singing the next part with Mikuo's sinister music harmonizing every word.

**"The princess held a love for a man... of blue who wasn't very much her fan."**

**But instead, he chose his neighbor's girl**

**Of green whose eyes shone like a peal.**

I awkwardly looked over at Kaito-senpai. He made a face.

**"The princess knew this and was filled with rage... she called the minister locked in her cage**

**And said in a soft voice to not be heard,**

**'Let the green country be badly stirred.'**

**Houses of the people were burned to the ground, so many voices would no longer make a sound. The people who had suffered so much pain...**

**Fell deaf on the princess's ears...!"**

By now, even the choir and drama club members were looking this way.

"O-Oh... it's... snack time...?" Rin, instead of singing, only managed to whisper. Her face twisted in horror and anguish and immediately, her tears returned. "Hya..." her shoulders began to shake, "Hyan...!" Large, salty tears spilled down her cheeks. "UWAAAAAA!" she let out a piercing scream at the top of her lungs, making everyone (including myself) groan and cover their ears. The auditorium echoed with high-pitched, wailing cries as she suddenly ran at Len full-speed, collapsing at his waist and pressed her face against his shirt, crying.

Len, blinking in startlement, only looked at her. "Rin?"

"This song is too scary!" she wailed, "The p-princess...! She is absolutely too scary! I don't like her at all!"

Len frowned but made no move to comfort her. Instead, he shifted his gaze over to me, almost looking sad. I smiled, half-relieved he wasn't spoiling her. Teto, Megurine, and Meiko went over and tried comforting Rin therselves. Meiko attempted to remove her arms from around his waist. "She's not all that bad. Cheer up."

Something sounded like a pencil snapping in half. It was Momoko. She'd been gaping at the scene before recovering. Rage flamed her eyes and her hair coiled around her like frenzy snakes. She even started hissing menacingly before her voice exploded.

"THIS IS THE LAST STRAW!" The senior practically shrieked and tore at her hair in frustrated rage. All of us stared, stupefied. "I can't tolerate this anymore! _You_...!" she thrust a finger at Rin's teary face, "I try to be paitent with you and this is what I get? UGH!" she glared around, causing some to back away. "Kagamine, you are going to ruin _everything_!" she wailed and ran backstage, "Ms. Haku! MS. HAAAAAAAAAAAAKU! WE NEED TO CHANGE HER PART!"

After Momoko left, Rin sniffled and weakly looked over at Mikuo.

"I am sorry, Mikuo-kun..." she hiccupped, "it seems I wasted your help."

Mikuo shook his head kindly, "Not at all. In fact, it was the other way around." he smiled mysteriously, "After all... I never knew you had such a lovely voice. Hearing you inspired me." Rin blinked before a blush crept to her face. I stared at Mikuo, hard.

What was he trying to do?

Ms. Haku suddenly appeared onstage again. A smile grew on her face as she clapped several times. "Hatsune-kun will pass out the scripts, so please raise your hands!" she said, her red eyes gleaming mischievously, "To those who are working backstage, don't be disappointed! Your parts are just as important as the actors'. Every single role is important, everyone... whether big or small!" Her black heels clacked against the cherry-wood floor as she quickly ran to the side. "The first practice is during projects class on Wednesday! Be sure to show up!" "Actors and actresses, start memorizing your lines!"

Mikuo got up and started handing out pink pamplets. When he held out one for me to take, I cautiously took it without a word. He stared at me for a moment before leaning over and whispering in my ear;

"Keep singing, Miku."

I crinkled my forehead in confusion. What was that supposed to mean? Before I could ask, he calmly reeled away and continued handing out scripts. I looked down at the pamplet labeled 'Story of Evil' before looking at him again.

Mikuo...

* * *

**Teto's POV**

It seems no one in this school has anything better thing to talk about other than rumors, rumors RUMORS! Argh. Well, at least I'm not dying from it this time. This time apparently, everyone's talking about Rin strangling Luka to death...

What liars.

The Rin I know would never do such a thing. They're all just jealous because of her near perfect character as a super cute, nice, overly gentle lolita. The last thing I need to hear is that she attempts murder as a hobby. Hah... what creativity. Besides, neither Luka or Rin confirmed the rumors to be true. Personally, I never listen to any of the school's latest tall tales.

"Can we leave now, Luka?"

Here we were, in our homeroom, cleaning up after school. The room had a particularly homely sense to it. Books and shelves were in one corner, and the centered globe standing in front of the black chalkboard. My favorite part happened to be Its walls, a beige color. Luka hadn't looked up the whole time since she swept the floor. "We're staying, Teto. It's our turn for cleaning duty."

"Booooooring."

"It doesn't matter. We need to do our job."

I furiously wiped at the windows with my rag, trying to reach the the top. Darn it, I hate being short. Eventually, I quit and sprawled myself on a desk. "But I'm tired." I complained. "I wanna go home and watch Lucky Star... or update my blog... or play Halo... or take a nap..." I yawned, "whatever comes first."

"You can't. Auntie grounded you for escaping that day." Luka reminded me.

My head banged against the table. "Curse the day I was born."

A sigh escaped my pretty cousin as she put her broom up. "Teto, you have potential. You're both a good athlete and intelligent student, so why do spend all your time doing hardcore gaming or lazing around instead of joining something productive? Like... after-school activities?" I glared at her, miffed.

"I so do productive things! Why else would I join the school play?" I exclaimed, waving the script in her face. "Besides, Luka-pants, you can't talk. All you ever do is cook, clean, or do shopping once we get home. It's like you're in housewife training."

"Housewife training? How silly." Luka laughed. "But if you're so bored, you might as well start memorizing your lines. After all, the next practice is on Wednesday. We might as well have an early start!"

"Fine, fine." I opened the playbook and started highlighting my parts. Luka did so as well.

Luka started reading her lines (which starts in Act II). "Oh! What foul enchantment is this?" she gasped exaggeratedly, "It appears the beautiful green maiden, Michaela has stolen the heart of young prince Kyle. In other words, princess Rillianne's unrequited love!" She let out a dramatic wail before clinging to the broom in fake horror. I snickered and shook my head. Even though she's an extra character, she obviously should've gotten a bigger role. Her acting is convincing enough to express onstage emotions no ordinary busty teen can portray. She sneakily, mischievously opened one eye before grabbing her skirts and flouncing around the room (right now, she's supposed to be one of the gossiping nobles in Lucifenia castle). "Oh, curse this day! The princess won't be pleased to hear this!"

Finally, I started laughing as she wiggled her fanny and continued sighing like a teary duchess. My stomach cracked open. She started laughing too.

"How pleasant to see such happiness glowing here." We turned to find Hatsune-kun standing in the doorway, smirking. Luka's mouth gaped open and she blushed in mortification.

"H-H-H-_Hatsune-kun_? Please don't tell me you saw everythiing..." she squeaked.

Hatsune-kun's smirk broadened. "That was a very cute performance, Megurine-san."

Luka moaned and stumbled a few paces back. "How embarrassing." I grinned before looking over at Hatsune-kun.

"Hey."

Hatsune, I gotta admit, is a sexy beast. I have him in a few classes and we've talked several times this year. He's charismatic and very smart. A bit odd sometimes, but really interesting. He's not like any of the dicks here who are always looking to bed someone. Sometimes I think there's nothing in the world that could make him angry. No one's ever seen him upset or angry. He's a pretty level-headed guy.

But I still think Ted is cuter.

"Teto-san," he answered in his usual even voice. "You really shouldn't laze around like that. It could get you into serious trouble." I snorted. "Ah, yes... but I came by to drop something off." Behind his back was something black and weird-looking, like a box. He stopped hiding it and revealed it.

"My video camera!" I gasped before taking it. "How did you...?" I looked at him, amazed. "But... I thought I lost it!" A feline grin fluttered across Hatsune's face.

"I found it."

"That you did." I managed to laugh incredulously. "Thanks a bunch! You must've gone through a lot of trouble finding it!" Wanting to thank him properly, I pulled out my Hello Kitty pink wallet. "Okay, how much?"

"No need." Hatsune shook his head and swept into a low bow. "A service for a service." He lifted his head and smiled sincerely, "A proper thanks can only be the shining performances from Teto-san and Megurine. Please do your best." Luka and I reddened at this noble statement. Wow, he's so imposing. A grin broke out on my face.

"You bet! We'll give this play everything we got! Right, Luka?"

Luka smiled. "Yes."

Hatsune nodded and edged away, but not before bowing one last time. I sighed happily, hugging my beloved camcorder. "I've missed you, my sweet baby." I then remembered the epic footage I recorded that day at the park. Giddily, I operated my camcorder and scrolled through the memory log. Once I found it, I practically squealed at the Kagamine cuteness scenes. "Oooh yeah!" I suddenly have this dying urge to watch everything! Squealing, I downloaded the files on my teacher's computer, transferring them to iMovie, pulling the projecter screen down, and finally switching off the room lights. "C'mon, Luka-trout! Wanna see some adorable twincest?" Luka shot me a look of disapproval.

Huh. I take that as a no.

"Humph, fine. You obviously don't know what you're missing." I grumbled while clicking on a random video. Honestly, that girl is such a killjoy. A big yawn split my mouth as I sprawled out on the floor, eating potato chips as the movie began. Luka just swept around me, ignoring the screen. I munched the salty crunchiness of my chips before cautiously looking at the nutrition label. I sighed. Three hundred calories, six grams of saturated fat, three and a half grams of trans fat, nineteen grams of carbohydrates...

There goes my diet.

Suddenly, a loud crash sounded. My gaze tore away from the bag and to the screen. Two people, it looked like, fought in an epic sky battle in the rain. It looked like it took place in an amusement park. One of them was a skimpy-looking woman, wearing revealing black leather that showed off almost every part of her ivory skin, flaming red hair whipped around the raining wind, as if actually alive. The other one was a blur; she moved way too fast. My jaw dropped open at seeing a certain jaw-dropping scene of their bodies soaring through the sky in an 's' shape, landing kicks and shooting colorful lasers at each other. I gasped as the second girl landed a hardcore kick at the first. Ouch.

"Oh my god, Luka! You have to watch this!"

"Teto, I can't. I'm busy right now..."

I have to admit, my camorder isn't the best brand. Recording something like this would be really hard. But the camerasman obviously had some experience capturing the fast-moving figures on camera. Honestly, he must've climbed buildings to capture all these amazing angles!

I laughed and clapped in excitement as I watched the red-haired woman scowl and take out this huge minigun before aiming. Pellets shot out and smoke burst from the cartridge as the second figure dodged all the bullets, practically dancing in the rain. At an incredible close-up, they met at a fist-to-fist combat. Suddenly, I realized something.

Wait. If this was recorded on the day I lost the camcorder... then that would mean I hadn't been the one filming.

So who...?

Green light filled the screen quickly, then disappeared. My eyes widened and I screamed shortly when I saw a face literally pop out of the screen (like when you're in those 3-D movie theaters and it feels like you're actually watching everything inside the movie). Luka's face hovered beside me and she shook me, confused. "Teto? Teto! What's wrong?" Shakily, I managed to lift a finger and the screen. Confused, she followed my gaze and gasped as well.

The movie paused on a part where the second character had the red-haired woman in a tight neckhold. Apparently, the person was a blonde girl. Kind of short and maybe a little too skinny, but nevertheless, a girl. Weirdly enough, it looked like lightning crackling on her skin. But the most disturbing thing I saw was her _eyes..._

They were both a glowing green. Soulless, empty... _inhuman._

I felt the blood draining from my face.

Wait, is that...

"_...Rin_?" Luka uttered, her eyes wide.

A giant crashing noise sounded. We both turned to see a white-haired girl sprawled out in front of the doorway, gasping when she saw us. Fear and realization filled her blood-red eyes. It was the bizzare Sukone Tei, a girl in our grade. She struck me as sorta... creepy and yandere*. Of course, she also has a dangerous crush on Kagamine-kun (he's always trying to stay the hell away from her). A squeak escaped from her as she bolted away. It took a few moments before reality came crashing back.

"Oh no, you don't! TETO FALCON PUUUUUUUUNCH!" I yelled and launched myself at her before she could escape. She shrieked and somehow tripped and landed on the floor with me on top of her. Glaring, I shoved our foreheads together, positively seething with rage. "Where do you think you're going? Off to tell someone about what you saw, huh?"

"I-I-I didn't...!" she gasped, "I didn't see anything, really! Please let me go!"

"LIAR!" I shouted, gritting my teeth. "You think I'm stupid?"

"T-Teto!" Luka exclaimed.

"I-I didn't see anything, please..." Tei begged, her eyes shining with tears. "I-I don't think badly of Rin-san, she's so kind to me!" I narrowed my eyes.

"... Didn't see _anything_, huh?" I said slowly, "So why did you just mention Rin?"

Tei's eyes flew wide open. "U-Uh, w-w-w-well, I...!"

"Get this straight, Sukone. Me, Rin, and Luka..." I began with a smile, "We're just making an action film. So no worries. It's not like it's real or anything... right, Luka?" I turned to the pink-haired virgin, who blinked before nodding quickly. "Y'see? Now, run along~ and have a nice day!" I laughed before shoving her out the door. For a moment, she stood there, completely flabbergasted before bolting away into the dark. I sighed and ejected the camcorder. "You think she'll believe us?"

Luka said nothing.

"Oh, c'mon. I know it was a lie and all, but you gotta understand I did it for Rin-"

"Teto." I stopped and noticed the guilty, frightened expression on Luka's face. She swallowed, trying her best to smile. "It's clear now. I always thought Rin-san was different, but... she's nothing like I imagined." she said and took a deep breath, "Discovering this now, it makes me want to confess that... well, I haven't been completely honest with you. About the rumors, I mean."

I stared. "You don't mean..."

"They're true." Luka nodded shakily, licking her dry lips. "But I don't know what to think! The Rin-san we know is nothing like that... that..." she pointed at the tape. "She's nothing at all like that scary thing with green eyes! Anyway, what _was_ that thing...?" I looked ahead, wrapped in my own thoughts.

I noticed Luka had been wearing scarves and chokers lately. I had only thought it was a temporary gig, but... now I understand.

The rumors were true?

So... the gossipers were telling the truth the entire time?

I was wrong?

I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. I couldn't even breathe.

Rin... tried to kill Luka?

Luka, my best friend and cousin?

I felt frozen. Something heavy and intense swept over me, and I've never felt something like this before. But it felt like someone stabbed me in the heart before crushing it. My hands were clenched and dripping with red sweat- oh wait, that's blood. A hot volcano churned inside me, rumbling and ready to blow. Am I angry right now? No, hearing this news felt ten times more powerful than imagining Akita-bitch crush my bread collection.

I felt _pissed_.

"No..." I finally managed to speak. Luka stopped muttering and looked at me. My voice dripped with violent rancor, "Damn you, _Rin_..." The name felt disgusting to say. It was like being force-fed a spoonful of bile. Rage surged through me as I kicked a chair flying into the wall, screaming, "Rin, you evil fucking bitch!" I couldn't think anymore, and before I knew it, chalk went flying. I grabbed handfuls of chalk and started chucking them at the screen.

"Teto, stop!" Luka grabbed both my arms, trying to prevent me from vandalizing the walls. "Stop...!"

"What a lie!" I choked, unshed tears burning my eyes, "She strangled you! She nearly...! How could she?" Luka pushed me against the wall, encaging me with a fierce embrace. Hiccups aborted my voice. "I-I-I can't believe... we helped her! I helped her, Meiko helped her...! _You_ helped-!"

"Hush." Luka's voice was stern, but soft. "I'm confused too. But no matter what, I will believe in Rin-san."

"How can you say such a thing?" My voice cracked. "She tried to murder you, Luka! And you even kept me from this! I may be a stupid otaku who cracks perverted jokes from time to time... but I love you, idiot!" My face crumpled into tears, "You're my Luka-face!"

"Teto..."

"Right now, there's only one thing I know..." I gasped shudderingly, wiping away the annoying waterworks. "And I'm not going to forgive this."

Rin, I was wrong about you.

"I've realized something, Luka-face!" I laughed, though it sounded hollow. Luka looked at me, a torn expression on her face. She looked doubtful, troubled... and maybe even a little sad. "The real Daughter of Evil... isn't Rillianne! Wanna know who it is?" Her facial features became sad, pained. Slowly, she lowered her head.

"Who is it then?" she managed to ask.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Rin."

* * *

**General POV**

Outside the door, Mikuo leaned against the wall, listening to every bitter and broken word Kasane Teto uttered. She sounded angry, betrayed, and sad. Her cousin, deeply conflicted and unsure whether or not to defend Rin.

How droll.

A silent yawn parted his lips as he stretched out lazily. Well, it's not that he wasn't amused. Seeing such fervent emotions unfold from the normally laid-back, lazy red-head, it was certainly interesting to watch. But really, some girls could be so dramatic. Like Miku. He chuckled wryly and pushed himself off the wall. He started walking down the dark hall, flipping out a phone and muttering into the receiver.

Unbeknownst (or rather, beknownst) to him, a cat-like figure swiftly stalked behind him. Teal-colored pigtails could be momentarily seen whipping past the room's light.

Also, if one squinted clearly enough, a smirking Ms. Haku could be seen lurking in the shadows. She appeared to be holding a pager of some sort. Her lips parted:

_"Indeed you were correct, Mikuo-kun. Project Rin's personality is adaptable depending on the song she sings: depending on the mood."_

A pause.

She chuckled, "_Wonderful. Leon will be pleased."_

* * *

**A/N:** Um... huh. This chapter doesn't feel as grand as the others. Not much action in this one. But I swear I hate making you guys wait this long... raaah, I'm soooorry.

Is having these guys' POVS constantly switching too confusing? I personally hadn't thought about it up until now. But it's been said that it could be too much to handle. Please be honest. Admittedly, I used the amida* game instead of actually writing out the auditions... hah, I got lazy. Oh, well. My grammar sucks -_- and yes... I would love a German translator. Ironically, someone happened to be a Native German speaker, but I could seriously use some help.

Poor Len, huh? Rin didn't get too much perspective either. Murrr... But at least some of the mysteries are cracked. But I **hate** Haku. No joke :P. Anyway, has anyone watched Disney movies lately? I'm hooked on the Princess classics **XD**. aldfjkaldfjalj I'll stop talking now.

Work Cited: Crypton Future Media and mothy. _"Daughter of Evil"_. Nico Nico Douga. Feb 11, 2009.

**Glossary**

*amida- A ladder method used for lotteries. It's also sometimes used as a game.

*yandere- An anime character who is normally shy, sweet, and sentimental but is also violent or psychotic (sometimes both), especially to those who impose on the yandere's love interest. There is a popular belief that yandere is opposite to tsundere. The yandere character has a strong foil against 'moe' or lolita girls.

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**Reviews = Motivation to write** (of course, if you don't have to if you're still angry. **T-T**)

_Next time on Project: VOCALOID... __Chapter 18 - **Servant of Evil**_

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	18. Servant of Evil

**A/N: I took grammar lessons and learned about writing styles. From this point on, everything you read should be better. I'm on the swim team and it feels amazing. Crapjina... srry for not replying to u reviewers but I had to go through a little revisation before re-posting this! HAHA~! **

_**Warning**_ - This page contains swearing, suggestiveness and violence.

**Bold**: Stands for singing, VOCALOID mode, and so on.

_Italics: _Stands for German, specific words, insane screaming, trancelike dreams/flashbacks, etc.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

_At that time, there were two people I treasured most in the world; t__he first one being my mother._

_But who else?_

_A tiny scream pierced the air. Quickly following the scream was a fresh batch of tears; sobs wracking a tiny body, and little hands trying to wipe away the tears. Bare feet padded against the steel floors, and then a pair of warm arms enveloped the girl._

_"Lily called me a no-good brat! Make her 'pologize!" the girl wailed to her protector. A warm hand patting her head made her look up. She sniffed, "You'll always protect me, won't you? No one will hurt me as long as you're here, right?"_

"Len! Gacha! Help me!" I cried as I tried forcing open the door. Girlish laughter sounded outside. It was terribly humiliating to have your classmates trap you inside a bathroom stall. "You can't do this to me!"

"Shut up already!" One of the girls banged on the door, causing me to draw back. "All you do is cry and expect others to spoil you just because you think you're cute." I whimpered, becoming more scared. How long were they going to keep me locked up? It was too dark in here. I screamed as ice-cold water rained on my back. "Ha! Did you hear that huge splash?"

"To think we ruined the princess's clothes; another wave should clean her up! On three!"

No!

"One… three!" Again, water splashed on me; but it didn't feel quite as cold. I sneezed, shivered and tried to wipe the water from my eyes. The bucket they used rolled at my feet. "Hope you learned your lesson!" They were practically in hysterics as they left. I remained coughing and gasping inside locked inside the wet, filthy stall.

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 17**

_Servant of Evil_

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* * *

**Len's POV**

I forwarded the ball across the field, trying to steady my footwork. I'm practicing to be season's captain. Vapory puffs escaped my mouth as I juggled the ball. With a grunt, I kicked the ball flying into the net before repeating the exercise.

"_VOCALOID? That's what we're calling Rin now?" I laughed harshly, "And you're questioning our relationship too?"_

"_Your bond with Rin is much too close than anticipated." Dell answered as he sipped his coffee. He, Professor Gakupo, and I were discussing what happened today. We were confined inside Dell's 'clinic' office. Kaiko and NND were currently talking with Kaito and Meiko. Rin was still asleep._

_"More importantly, it's fatal!" Professor Gakupo stated earnestly. "You spoil her, pamper her. Her attachment toward you takes a toll on her mental stability!"_

"_It other words, Rin only secures herself when you're present. Much like a child would with its mother." Dell deadpanned, "And now that Leon is finally taking action, there's no doubt her VOCALOID mode will continuously activate."_

_"But you're the one who told me it was my responsibility to look after Rin!"_

_"I know what I said," Dell answered, "but in her vulnerable state, it's only easier for Leon to manipulate her, to control her. Do you want that?" I felt speechless. Professor gravely approached me._

"_Rin is too much like her mother; Miriam never liked facing the truth and she was never strong." he said, closing his eyes. "But since Leon is finally taking action, our lives are at risk—including yours. The best way you can help us is distancing yourself from Rin so she can become independent on her own." he said. "Believe me: you're protecting her that way." I opened my mouth to protest but nothing came out. My head lowered in frustrated shame._

_"Accept it, Len. She needs to grow up."_

I grinned bitterly.

It's true that I fuss over Rin. It's true that I shield her innocence (mainly from bullies and perverted creeps). It's also true that if she cries, I would jump across the sky to stop those tears just to see her smiling again. So yeah, I do spoil Rin. I let her use me like a child's security blanket. But you know what? I don't care. In fact, it's what I want.

I want to spoil Rin.

I want to spoil her rotten.

Our relationship isn't perfect. There've been many times when we couldn't understand each other. She would cling to me to the point of refusing anyone else nearby, and she'd get upset when I'd forget to tell her where I was going." She disliked it when I practically tracked her every movement when she spent time with Mikuo (because I don't "trust" her) while her occasional tantrums drove me up the wall.

But Rin is the one who always waits for me, and she's the first person I see everyday. She's always eating in the seat beside me, always looking for me, always determined to do her best. Somewhere along the way, she became a part of me. Like a nose, having her beside me only felt natural. Mild, insecure, and soft-spoken Rin was all I needed to face each day.

Wherever I go, she's only a step behind.

I did my fifth lap around the course, sweaty and panting like crazy. But anger fueled my legs as I kept sprinting. Dell's words echoed in my head.

_"The truth is that I was never a Crypton official. Leon used to be friends in high school, and we became company colleagues. But I never abandoned Leon after the president disbanded Crypton. I stayed with Leon for many years to support his project. But I never knew it was about recreating his daughter. Not until it was too late."_

Sixth lap…

"_I regret everything. From supporting the project to lying to my own son… all because I wanted to erase my past. When Rin arrived that night, I knew what I had to conceal her from Leon."_

My side was starting to cramp, but I grit my teeth and pushed on.

_"Hatsune Mikuo… he's greatly involved with Rin. They have a past connection." _I flung myself on the turf and snatched up my canteen, gulping all the water before throwing away. God, why am I doing this? Why is it that Mikuo's so much closer to Rin than I am? They think they know everything!

To be honest, I never felt so _needed_.

It felt wonderful to have someone want me to exist. To be needed. Then I found that I needed Rin too.

Then I realized Miku's smiling face above mine. My cheeks warmed even more as a familiar shyness overwhelmed me. "M-Miku!" What was she doing here?

Miku grinned and gave me a towel. "You're sweaty." She sat beside me and stretched her limbs out. "I don't get why you're practicing in such chilly weather." I laughed and rubbed the back of my neck.

"I-I'm fine," I said, "thanks." Miku giggled and clapped her hands together.

"But you were great! It'd be nice if I were that good." My cheeks warmed at that compliment. I smiled shyly and thanked her. It always felt great hearing praise from someone as beautiful like Miku. I noticed the way she pursed her lips when she giggled, and the way her eyes sparkled rivaled a emerald's preciousness. She pulled a few hair strands behind her ear. "They say it'll snow today. I'm planning to go to the park and practice my part."

"I haven't been practicing at all." I admitted.

"We can practice together at the park then!" Miku quickly said. I agreed. There was nothing better to do anyway. Just then, I saw Rin approaching. Her hair and clothes were soaking wet; it looked like she'd been swimming.

"Whoa!" I had to stop myself from rushing over. "What happened? Why're you all wet?"

"I... fell in a pool." she replied, her eyes downcast.

"You shouldn't be out here like this." Miku stated. Rin glanced up, her face tightening.

"You should not be concerned."

Miku thinned her lips, staring intensely at her. I shuddered; the atmosphere felt icy somehow. "Well. Excuse me for caring." her voice dripped with sarcasm. "At least I'm not silly one who walks around in wet clothes outside when it's cold."

"Thank you, but I never asked for your opinion. I was waiting for Len." Rin said softly before glancing at me. Huh... oh! We were supposed to head home after practice.

"Find Kaito and tell him I'm at the park with Miku practicing our lines." I told Rin, picking up my bag. "I'll be home at six." I heard the breath caught in Rin's throat, nevertheless I faced the other direction.

"Wait," A cry escaped, and Rin's hand tugged at my sleeve. "Allow me to come so I can practice too." I bit my lip at her pleading face before yanking my arm away.

"Go home," My voice came out sharp, "and practice by yourself." It took all my energy to ignore the hurt surprise on her face and leave. "Let's go, Miku." The startled girl quickly trotted after me.

"Le... w-wait."

Don't look back, man. I willed myself to ignore Rin and kept walking.

* * *

"Like this?" I did an exaggerated attempt of stabbing the stick in Miku's side. We were reading our scripts by the pond as children ran past us, laughing and pretending to fly. Bikers rode past us in their tights, and kissing couples walked hand-in-hand. The faint smell of grass still lingered in the air.

"The script says we need to hug while I die." she laughed and fell to the brown grass. She extended both arms toward me, blushing. I hestitated. "W-Well? What're you waiting for?" Taking a deep breath, I knelt down and hugged her. We sat there awkwardly, holding each other. I soon realized hugging like this... it's what couples do, right? My cheeks grew hot at that realization- ooh... she smells nice. I relaxed; my arms naturally slipping around her tightly.

Miku's breath hit my ear; I shivered at the contact.

"Act V is pretty sad, isn't it?" she asked, "I mean, besides having Allen die."

"Yeah." I breathed.

"I'd like to be a pop star one day." she randomly stated.

I laughed. "I'd like to be a pro soccer player."

"Mm." We stayed that way for a while, just hugging. If only time would stop so we could stay like this forever. I didn't mind the thought.

Miku laughed, and I heard the tremor in her voice. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Len-kun. I don't want you to get hurt." We pulled away. I found her crying. "I was really happy when you pushed Rin away. I-it's selfish thing to say, but it's true. I get jealous when you're together," she confessed, "it gives me the wrong idea."

"J-Jealous?" A slow blush of realization crept on my cheeks.

I had no idea...

A gust of wind blew and played with Miku's long pigtails. The way she was looking at me made me feel fluttery. It was until I realized what made me fall for her: that kind smile and gentle voice. When we talked, she actually listened to what I had to say. She cheered me up and made me laugh when I felt crappy. Most of all, she gave me inspiration.

"Miku, I..." My stomach growled. We blinked, and I blushed. Stupid hunger, thanks for ruining the moment. A giggle escaped from Miku.

"I'll buy us some chili dogs from the cart over there. We need a break anyway." she said, pushing back my protests. "I insist!" I sighed and relaxed on the grass. Well, at least I wouldn't be hungry. But making a girl pay felt rude. The grass poked through my arm warmers as I sat back.

"Len-kun." I froze seeing a shiny knife hovering right above my head. My eyes fell on a pale white-haired girl grinning eerily at me. My fingers felt numb all of a sudden. Sukone Tei. There've been sightings of her walking around the street at night with a bloodied knife. Even though she's nice, she scares the daylight out of me. Especially when she gets angry.

Worse yet, she has a crush on me.

"I-I never expected..." she started softly. "It m-makes me so happy...! Seeing Len-kun!" She broke into hysteric giggles, shaking like a leaf as she cradled the knife with two hands. I gulped. Before I could say anything, Miku returned with the food.

"What is going on?"

Tei aburptly stopped giggling and her eyes widened. "O-Oh," she looked back at me, then at Miku, back at me, Miku again. She looked at the chili dogs. A slow, murderous expression appeared on her face. "What..." she started, "What are you doing with Len-kun?"

"I just happened to see him." Miku replied warily, eying her knife. "What's your excuse?"

"The same reason." Tei smiled, "Don't be alarmed. This is just for protection." she gestured her weapon before turning to me. "But anyway. Since I care for Len-kun very deeply, I wanted to warn him."

"About what?"

"Monsters," she spoke quickly. "I stop by your house in the middle of the night sometimes, and I always see those gray monsters lingering. Their armor is made of metal, and their eyes are red." she looked around as if someone were listening. "Y-your sister is strange, Len-kun... haha..." a gasp, "b-before she came... there's never been strange monsters w-watching L-Len-kun b-b-b-besides me!" She gripped the knife's handle tightly. "No one... no one is allowed to watch L-Len-kun but me...!"

Whoa, this girl is crazy. I tried taking a few steps back, but she grabbed hold both of my shoulders. Her expression became wild, and she started laughing.

"Tell me, Len-kun! Y-y-you know your sister isn't ordinary, right? I-I can't even tell you what I've seen!" she giggled and turned to Miku, "And you! You were there too, so you obviously saw the same thing!" The knife's blade shone as she brought it out. "O-on the other hand... y-you're just another rival!" Miku whapped her hand away before she could get stabbed, twisting Tei's arm. Tei gasped out in pain and dropped her knife.

"I saw nothing," Miku coldly stated. "so stay away from us." She pushed her away. Tei gasped and shakily glared at her one last time before dashing off. A sigh escaped from my savior as she handed me my chili-dog. She blinked, "...You're making a strange face."

"Huh?" I realized I'd been gaping with my jaw open the whole time. "S-sorry, it's just that... wow. Where'd you learn that?"

"Self-defense training." Miku clarified, "Mikuo and I used to fight all the time."

* * *

**Meiko's POV**

"I apologize, but I must decline your generous offer..." Kaito recited as I checked the groceries out to the man. "I am already in love with a girl from the Green Country..." He flipped the pages of final act and snorted. "Ugh, this is classic crap. Look at this, the Allen guy sacrifices himself for princess Rilly-nilly! If I were him, I'd let her die." Kaito and I were working our shifts as the only grocers here at Quik-Market (one of my many part-time jobs). The fluorescent lights were finally working, and the friendly smell of cough drops and old people lingered.

"Not everyone is like you." I pointed out.

Kaito dusted off his apron. "That's what makes 'em boring." I laughed and smacked the back of his head. He got up and starting reciting his lines from the sixth act.

"Ho, there! Arrest that vile woman who sent my beloved to her grave!" he exclaimed and flipped his hair dramatically, "This sin shan't pass if even if the stars allow it!" Unexpectedly, I found myself staring at his biceps flexing through his tight muscle shirt. He's gotten a bit buffer this year. It's hard to believe he used to be a lanky shrimp but now... he's damn sexy.

"Meiko, you're drooling." I blinked and indadvertedly wiped my bottom lip. Indeed I had been dribbling saliva. Way to go, Meiko: your best friend caught you drooling at him. "Checking me out, eh?" he smirked.

"Y-you wish!" I yelled embarassedly and (oops) flung a can of beans at Kaito, who caught it before it reached his face.

"Yeah. I do." he answered. I blinked as he stared at me intensely. "... I really do." Everything around us faded as the air grew soft. Smiling, he brushed back a piece of annoying hair behind my ear.

"Kai..." Now that I think about it, this guy really can be the sweetest thing alive.

Then he guffaws. "Bwaha! Should've seen the look on your face!" I blink. Huh? "I mean, seriously! Your face was pink and everything!" he grinned, "I knew it. You may be loud and violent, but you're still a girl."

... so what he did just now.

It was just an experiment?

Red fire consumed my mind as my palms shook furiously. "IDIOOOOOT!" Rin arrived twenty minutes later to find Kaito black and blue with his scarf twisted from excessive stretching (his neck is purple). She carried a 5.5 lb. package of oranges.

"May I have these?"

"But then I'd have to pay for it," he rasped.

"I'll pay this time." I smiled at Rin. She deserved it. After all, she helped us move bags of flour all day without complaining. Though Nami would probably kill us for ruining her new ducky sweater.

Rin gasped. "T-thank you." she bowed and gently clutched both fists (a habit she always does). Kaito handed her the can I just threw at his face. His scarf brushed against her fingers.

"Put this away then."

"Yes!"

We watched her as she scuttled away. "Her princess role doesn't suit her at all," Kaito confessed. "She's too... Bunny-chan." I smirked. Ever since getting back from the park, he'd been nicer to her. In fact, I'd caught them playing pat-a-cake earlier. I was glad they were friends again. "Anyway, Ms. Haku's telling me I gotta wear tights." A customer came and placed the groceries on the moving tray. Without paying much attention, I checked them out.

"I think it fits." I laughed, "Our roles are interesting. Hell, I get to play as a mercenary swinging around a giant sword... you gotta admit that sounds pretty cool!"

"Cooler than being a gay prince." Kaito grumbled.

"I hope you're using that word correctly, Kaito-kun." The customer chimed in. It was Ms. Haku wearing a matching gray sweat-shirt and jogging pants. Kaito's eyes grew big and he nearly fell off his stool. "Gay is a sacred word first used in the sixteenth century; meaning 'Happy one." she said, "If you mean to complain about the appearance of Kyle's sexual idenity, say 'homosexual."

"I really couldn't care less." he snorted.

Ms. Haku smiled and cupped his cheek.

Whoa! Hey, hey!

"Yes, you do. Otherwise you wouldn't be as kind as you are today." she told him. I watched in horror as a vivid crimson colored his cheeks. W-wait, why is he so nervous all of a sudden! Crap... this is just like what happened last time. "Be the way you are, okay?" Kaito nodded numbly. The woman laughed and carressed his cheek with slender fingers before pulling back. "Well, I must tend to Josephine now, but I expect to both to keep practicing. Bye."

Josephine? That name should've brought brought attention. But Kaito stood there staring after Ms. Haku, his face still rosy.

"I feel weird...," he said. I knitted my eyebrows together in annoyance. How do you think _I_ feel after she just flirted with you, idiot? Seeing you act like that is pissing me off!

"Something about Ms. Haku seems-" off? annoying? flirty? "... nostalgic."

"Nostalgic?"

"Yeah," Kaito sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "How do I explain? Being around her makes me feel calm and happy for some reason, I dunno. Talking with her always brightens my mood." A sinking feeling grounded at the pit of my stomach. My mouth felt dry. "Weird, isn't it?" Great, now I'm jealous. I looked at the floor with a heavy sigh. Why can't he figure out how I feel about him? Idiot... he just makes things harder.

Stupid idiot...

Just then my phone went off. I pulled it out and saw the screen saying there was a new message from Teto.

_We gotta talk._

I crinkled my forehead in confusion. What did this mean? She never texted so vaguely like this before. Behind me, 'Iroha' and 'Al' were playing around with a store cart (they said they came to watch Rin); they were riding around with the sake. "Wh-! HEY! PUT THOSE BACK!" I shut my phone and raced after them. Out of the window, I saw something.

Snow.

I stopped running and stared at the white flakes gently falling from the sky. Oh yeah, today's the first day of December. Christmas is coming up and so is Len's birthday. Then, my eyes fell on Rin standing beside the claw machine.

"Whatcha doing?"

Startled, Rin looked up and swallowed. "I..." she pointed through the glass. "That..." I followed her finger and spotted a plush green stegosaurus. I blinked then grinned.

"Oh, you like that?"

She nodded.

"Want me to get it for you?"

"Ah... not quite." she stopped me, "It just reminded me of someone is all." A slightly worried look formed her face. "I-I just hope he is alright."

"Who is this person?"

"Gachapoid. He is my very precious friend." Rin smoothed out her apron. "He is very cute, very kind, and a very eloquent speaker." she said with a smile, "I haven't seen him for a while though." I smiled assuringly and tussled her hair.

"Sounds like someone important to you."

She nodded eagerly, "Oh, yes. Very much so." she paused, "but..." I rose a brow. "I... I think there was someone like him." A soft, almost trance-like expression appeared. "But who, I wonder."

"Rin-chan?" I waved a hand in front of her face.

Rin, blinking, stroked her sunny hair. "I am sorry." I pursed my lip. I noticed today that she wasn't herself. In fact, Kaito and I were surprised to see her staggering up to us in wet clothes and looking about ready to cry. Neither of us said anything as she crawled into Kaito's lap and rested for about five minutes before he picked her up like a baby and carried her home. Four hours later, we take her to work so we could cheer her up somehow.

"Okay... so I can just assume today's a bad day?"

"Yes."

"If you're in trouble, you can always talk to me." I told her and lightly punched her cheek. She nodded. I noticed a phone poking from her pocket. Assuming it was hers, I took it out and exchanged numbers with her. "There, now we can call each other anytime."

Rin's face fell, and she looked down.

"W...why are you always so kind, Meiko-nee?" she asked, "if only I could be like you..." a sad smile, "Kaito is very fortunate to someone as strong, kind, and beautiful as Meiko-nee." I stared at her before blushing up a storm.

"You don't wanna be like me! I'm rude, violent, totally unladylike!" I exclaimed at her sweetness, "And you're ten times cuter than I am. People will get off their butts for you." Laughing, I pulled her into my arms. "Rin-chan, you silly girl. I'm the last person Kaito wants." Rin slowly pulled away and looked at me.

"Meiko-nee... seems sad."

"Really?" I grinned despite feeling crappy like she said, "Maybe we're both having a bad day." I handed over her coat and orange rubber boots before pushing her outside. "Go play in the snow, but stay in front of the store." Rin frowned and looked back at me.

"What about you?"

"Quit worryin'. I'll be fine." I grinned again. "Try to have fun. That'll clear your head." I sighed when she looked hesitant. "Go on, don't be shy." I pushed her out again. Rin's eyes widened in delighted surprise, as if seeing snow for the first time.

"Snow?" she asked before looking back at me, smiling slightly for the first time. "Thank you, Meiko-nee."

* * *

**General POV**

Snow quietly covered the town-city in white blanket. In front of Quik-Market sat a swaddled Rin, sleeping among bushy yellow roses with a script-book in her lap.

"_Happy birthday to me~! Happy birthday to meeee~!" A blonde girl, dressed in a fancy white dress with lacy frills, sang at the top of her lungs. In her arms, she carried plushy Mr. Hoppy, her faithful bunny companion. Together, they chased a frog into the lily pond and shoved through weeds. A few adults gathered around the patio, ignoring her and quietly discussing something with serious expressions._

_"Sit, sweetheart." A woman, dressed in a long white dress, stood beside a two-tiered birthday cake arranged with 7 candles she'd spent all morning preparing. The girl obediently pranced to the swing and played with the woman's long gold curls. "Good. Wait a bit, then we can start eating."_

"_Okay! Is daddy coming?" A strained look appeared in the woman's eyes as she thought about what to say. It was already fortunate that Leon allowed the party in the garden, but having him present was too much to hope for. Before she could speak, someone walked past her: a tall, wide-shouldered man with his hair pulled back into a low ponytail._

"_DADDY!" The girl shrieked happily and ran toward the man. Laughing, Leon scooped her up and spun her around. "You came! You actually came!"_

_Leon's eyes softened. "Of course. I wouldn't miss this for the world."_

_Grinning, the girl hugged him. _"_Do you like the outfit Grandpa sent me? It's all the way from Japan!" Unlike her usual hospital gown, she proudly wore a frilly white dress adorned with lace. To top it off, she had a white wide-brimmed hat attached with a silky bow._

_"You're lovely," he said and set her down, "Now, your little highness. You understand Mommy and I have working on something important which is why we haven't been able to play lately." She nodded. "But see, it's your present."_

_"Really?"_

_"I think you'll like him." Leon nodded and stroked her hair tenderly. He took her hand in his and led her inside and away from the party. The woman walked beside her and took her other hand; they stopped at door with restricted access. Leon looked into the eye scanner before the doors opened. They entered the chamber, and lights illuminated their every step. In the midst of all the caged creatures, there slept a boy, probably around her age, inside a reactor._

"_Is he for me?" Curious, the little girl broke away from her parents and excitedly placed both hands against the tube. "Hi, you! Today's my birthday, and I'm seven now!" she giggled when he touched her hand through the glass. "I think he likes me!"_

_"Yes. This is my employee's son; he nearly died last month in a car accident, but daddy and his friends repaired him for you." Leon announced. "From now on, he'll play with you and protect you; he'll always look after you." The boy's eyes opened and fell on the girl; his turquoise gaze looked so solemn and wise; yet they told a story of an unspeakable pain. She, however, cheered._

"_I love him already!"_

"_Good. His name is M-"_

Rin shivered as something huge, solid and wet tickled the nape of her neck. She blinked awake to find a white horse licking her face. She gasped, "Miss Josephine?" Affectionately, the demon horse nuzzled against her. "What might you..." she looked up to find Haku riding on the saddle, smiling. "M-Ms. Haku!"

"Hello." Haku greeted. "We saw you sleeping in your flower bed."

"Oh... really?" A laugh escaped the beautiful woman. She tugged at Josephine's reins, angling her so she could face Rin properly.

"Indeed. Did you have a nice dream?"

"I..." An image of the boy flashed across Rin's mind and caused her to tremble slightly. "Might I ask what you and Miss Josephine are doing?" Rin asked, attempting to change the subject.

Haku smiled knowingly, but answered nonetheless, "I'm excerising her. She'll be starring as the princess's horse." Josephine proudly raised her head and snorted.

"Miss Josephine will be in the play...?" Rin suddenly smiled, "I see. That makes me happy."

Haku laughed, "Then I can safely assume you've been practicing your part?" Rin's face fell. She didn't like the idea having to be that evil princess, especially since that princess did so many evil things. And, ever since she earned the part, bad things have been happening. Her classmates were bullying her and nearly everyone avoided her like the plague, even Len. She'd been thinking about what happened earlier in fact.

Why? Why was he avoiding her?

Rin was no stupid girl; she knew Len had been acting distant to her lately. As if she weren't already confused and worried, she became even more stressed. He stopped talking to her, he always left if they were in the same room; worst of all, he refused to let her even touch him. Sadness filled her as she recalled seeing him with Miku. She and Len picked up where they left off, spending time and growing closer together again.

Nausea lurched in her stomach and jolted up her throat, causing her to gag and squeeze her eyelids shut and a sudden image of a boy popped into her head.

Her eyes widened.

"_Even if the entire world becomes your enemy, I will always protect you."_

Those serious words echoed as Rin suddenly clutched her head in pain. A vision of a boy standing above her flashed before her eyes.

"_I will never leave you, Miss Rin."_

"Rin-chan?" Hands touched Rin's face, which belonged to a concerned Haku's. "What's wrong?" Rin swallowed. Her hands felt so warm.

"I... n-no," Tears gathered in her eyes as she attempted to speak. "Horrible things are happening." Her voice quaked: she recalled the past events, like when the crazed Miki forced her to remember the gruesome pieces of her past. But not only that, she remembered the horrible discovery of Gacha's disappearance. Then she recalled being locked in the stall while her classmates poured water on her. Finally, she remembered Len cold's words as he left with Miku.

But then, could those things be happening because of her?

Rin knew better than to confide in someone busy as Ms. Haku. Instead, she picked up her script-book with gloved hands. "I cannot understand why would Allen would do so much for Rillianne." she whispered. "Why does he give so much to someone who causes such pain and evil in people's lives?"... like herself?

Ms. Haku tied Josephine to the tree and sat beside her. "It's because Allen loves his sister very, very much." Love? Nami failed explaining that concept before. And didn't Allen love that green girl (erm, Micheala) as well? Before Rin could speak, she continued, "Most people found it alarming when he killed Michaela, who he was in love with. Truthfully, I don't find it that strange."

"Why not?" Rin asked.

Haku laughed slightly, "Allen is very devoted character. I think the reason why he does so much for Rillianne is because of his self-binding oath. There's nothing else that makes him happier seeing his princess smile." she said, "She is his number one." Rin stared, marveling. "And perhaps- he loved her even more than Michaela."

A strong gale shook the tree, and the snow whipped around them.

"_Even if the entire world turns against you, I will always protect you. So just be yourself and smile!"_

"I have no idea whatsoever what you're going through, Rin-chan..." she started, "But you must always find joy." Rin blinked. "Laugh, child… even if you're sick or too worn out. Smile, even if it's hard. Trust, even if your heart begs you not to." she continued, "Be kind and patient, even when others don't do likewise. Sleep, even when you're afraid what dreams will come. Run, even if you feel like you're about to collapse."

"And finally, _remember_, even when the memories pinch your head. All pain you experience makes you the person you today. Without your experience-you are an empty page, a blank notebook, a missing lyric. What makes you cheerful is your willingness to live through life and hold your head up high everyday."

"How can I possibly do those things?" Rin asked in very softly.

"Because." Haku smiled mysteriously. She plucked up a single yellow rose and handed it to her. "Everything…" A familiar voice filled with all the brightness in the world took over her words.

"_Everything will definitely, definitely be alright!"_

Rin stared agape at the alluring wisdom of Haku, who mounted back up on Josephine. "We must depart for now, but keep that in mind, okay?" she waved, "and don't forget to practice!" Rin watched as the horse trotted away. Her red fingers cradled the yellow petals of the gnarly flower she'd been given. She closed her eyes and kissed it.

"Haku is not only beautiful, but also very wise." she murmured, "I must... work harder." A tickling threaded her veins as a sudden heat rushed to the tips of her fingers. She gasped when blue sparked between her hands and enflamed the rose. Immediately, she dropped it as if touching a griddle.

Flames blackened the petals as smoke breathed on the ground.

Rin stared, bewildered.

Had she just incinerated the flower?

* * *

**Hokkaido, Japan**

**8:19 a.m.**

**Hokkaido Shrine**

Sapporo City is the fourth largest city in Japan by its population, and the largest city on Hokkaido. Its festivities attracted many tourists (mainly the Snow festival). Traveling from Tokyo to Sapporo is the world's busiest flight route with numerous departures per day. Unluckily for GachapoidR3000, he couldn't afford it. He instead used a JR pass* (good thing he's a foreigner) and traveled a one-way train for nearly ten hours.

A tiny boy, wearing a brown knapsack, walked out of a phone-booth. He sighed. There was nothing enjoyable about abandoning your mistress and spending three days traveling. Still, this was the only one way to prevent Leon from importing more Crypton subordinates to Japan.

For the sake of protecting Rin, this is what he had to do.

_"Mistress, may I ask why you call me 'Gacha?" Gachapoid asked, causing his mistress to stop gardening long enough to stare at him confusedly. They were currently outside on the open land._

_"You dislike it?"_

_"Informalities towards me is… maladroit." Gachapoid answered slowly, "Therefore, it's only necessary to call me by my service name." Rin frowned and gently tended to the tulips._

_"I will not."_

_The words took the dinobot by surprise. "What? B-but I serve…!"_

_"Why say such things? I cannot see you as GachapoidR300 the servant," she smiled innocently, "you are my one and only Gacha, my dearest friend whom I deeply cherish._"

Gachapoid's cheeks became rosy from the cold. An icy gale shook the trees, almost laughably. He wiped his runny nose, sniffing. He raised his head to the sky and blinked slowly, snowflakes landing on his long lashes. Beautiful and quiet, this place was a winter wonderland. In a spiritual sense, God must've been here.

"Isn't snow is wondrous?" Gachapoid turned to see Hatsune Mikuo standing at the shrine. "Christmas will be here soon." The younger boy remained silent, unsure how to regard him. "Santa might actually give me what I want this year."

"You lured me here." Gachapoid stated.

Mikuo paused before smiling, "That I did."

"You're obviously in contact with Leon," The boy demanded, "but you haven't laid a finger on Rin. What are you after?"

"How appalling! Touching a lady without her consent would be disgraceful." Mikuo answered cheerfully. "To think you actually consider me a lady offender!"

"Quiet." Gachapoid snapped, "I'll rephrase what I just said, what are your intentions?"

Mikuo paused before replying, "There's something I want." Shrieks pierced the air as gray speckles flashed through the sky. Light impaired Gachapoid's eyes momentarily before his eyes adjusted. A circle of bizarre-looking robots surrounded him, their menacing gazes prickling under his skin. Steadily, they aimed their weapons at him; laser dots shadowing his body.

Crypton units.

"Traitorous coward," Gachapoid stated, his face masked with calmness, "I should've known you would side with them just to save your own sorry hide."

Mikuo smirked. "Bravery and I aren't on intimate terms. My natural curiosity is tempered with caution, thus I've lived long." he said. "I deliver a message from Leon: join Crypton in recapturing Project Rin… or die. Personally, I don't mind either way."

A silence.

"…No," Gachapoid finally answered. Mikuo raised his brows. "I serve Rin and Rin only. That is my duty." he said, "I may be a robot, but now I finally understand…" he said, "My mistress must be protected, and I will do just that. For that, I'll even defy the will of Crypton."

Mikuo smirked. "Interesting." He clapped his hands once, twice… three times. "Road trip, units. Hop the next flight to Tokyo." Shrieking, the robots' heads twisted erratically before sprinted off. Gachapoid's eyes widened. Oh, no…!

"Bastard!" Gachapoid flung away his backpack as a pair of scaly vectors tore from his back. They were short, about two meters in length with snapping razor-sharp reptile claws. When used, however, they could stop or deflect basic ammunition. He wasn't a combat machine, but he knew how to fight.

The little boy dashed and swung his right vector at Mikuo, who immediately threw his overcoat at it. The razors tore through it and right into the empty spot where Mikuo had been.

"Silly little Ryuto," A calm voice drawled. There Mikuo was, standing at the shrine. "You're miscalculating your chances of victory."

"I'm not Ryuto! And don't think I'm not aware of your past!" Gachapoid shouted angrily. Mikuo accidentally flinched. "You're still Rin's servant!" Green met green. A frown creased the older boy's face as his nails dug harshly into his left arm. A sickening ripping noise sounded as he tore away ivory skin, as if peeling a fruit.

The skin dropped to the ground.

Green sparks crackled along the wires of Mikuo's prosthetic arm. "Who is whose servant?" he asked coldly and charged a blazing beam at Gachapoid—whose vectors carried him to safety on top of the highest gravestone.

"Years ago, you were programmed to serve her instead of me!" he shouted and narrowly dodged another beam. He leapt from grave to grave, avoiding the nuclear blasts. Rocks crumbled at the recent beam. "Don't you see? Rin's memories are awakening! She remembers you!"

Gachapoid's vectors carried him across the ground like a spider would. His claws snapped open and charged at Mikuo, narrowly missing. Gachapoid cried as his metal fingers dug clean into his bare arm. He took this opportunity to grab the other one and twist them both behind his head. Gachapoid screamed as he was electrocuted. He tried breaking away from the iron grip, succeeding when his teeth sank into his captor's fingers.

Mikuo hissed and slightly loosened his grip, giving the boy an opportunity to stab a tentacle into his shoulder. He growled painfully and clutched his bleeding wound, moving away. Gachapoid followed up with another attack, striking both vectors at his inner thighs. Mikuo managed to jump over the assault and shot several beams at the snapping claws.

Perched on a maple branch, sat Black R. Shooter who observed their fight. Her lips parted into an amused grin. She flipped her long black hair (which was split in two elegant pigtails). Red eyes followed Ryuto as he threw grave markers at Mikuo, whose body dodged in a twisting flip. Shooter giggled and crossed her legs. She knew she should help Mikuo, but watching the brawl felt more enjoyable. Besides, her muscles were still from grappling with Lily (damn, that girl packed a punch) so she didn't feel like moving. She yawned and relaxed against the icy branch.

Well, she'd cut in if Mikuo died. (Which obviously wouldn't happen.)

Gacha grunted as Mikuo's leg whacked his left vector, the harsh vibrations weakening his nerves. His snake-like weapon slithered around the boy's leg and around his waist, squeezing him. A slight gasp escaped as the other vector coiled around his arms and shoulders. Mikuo panted and finally started to sweat. Damn, this kid fought better than expected. However, fighting with metal vectors isn't a good idea.

Especially if your enemy has access to electricity.

Metal hands flamed with shockwaves which immediately traveled up Gachapoid's vectors and electrocuted him. The little boy screamed. His clothes became burnt and black. He fell to his knees, shaking violently. He knew the only way to stop the currents was to release Mikuo. But doing that would leave him vulnerable than ever. But he would fry up if he didn't let go. Relucantly, his vectors pulled away.

Gachapoid was no war machine after all. He was only a nanny. He hadn't even had time for proper combat training because of the abrupt events.

"It's my turn to ask," Mikuo said, "why do so much for her?"

Sweat poured down the side of Gachapoid's face. He panted, "I...I _love_ Rin. M-more than anyone else in this world-AH!" he screamed as a jolt of electricity burned his skin but continued, "And I-I will drag you and Crypton off the divine pedestal if it saves her! Even i-if -_ah_- I die trying!" They've only been going at it for several minutes but he already felt exhausted. This guy was too strong.

"Why?" he shouted, "You used to be loyal to Rin, but now you're betraying her? Why?"

An unbearable shock spasmed his entire body. Mikuo hovered over him with a terrible smile. In his hands he carried what looked like skeletal gadgets. Gachapoid's eyes widened as he realized those were (or had been) his vectors; in other words, his vital movement. Mikuo swiftly grabbed him by the shirt collar and dangled his body over the shrine well.

"I remember serving a girl once clever and optimistic. Her mischievious nature charmed anyone into becoming her friend. The person you speak of me betraying fails to reach my recognition." he calmly stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "Your mistress is not mine."

Gachapoid looked up at the sky. All he wanted to do now was cry like an actual child. He couldn't move, he couldn't fight...

He lost.

"F-forgive me... Rin." he choked out, closing his eyes. Mikuo's fingers slipped and his body went crashing down the dark well. A giant splash was heard and some gurgling. Then, silence.

_"What a waste."_ Shooter commented in German as she foxily approached, _"He really could've proved useful."_

_"It doesn't matter."_ Mikuo said. _"Lily will get pissed if we don't get return."_ Shooter sighed reluctantly and leapt away. He, however, stood there and overlooked the gurgling dark waters. He didn't want to kill Ryuto... but he asked for it. After all, they could've been great partners. "Miriam...," he said aloud, "is this really meant to be?" Naturally, no one answered. But he knew deep down she was watching... waiting to claim justice. In fact, he could feel her ghastly presence just lingering in the wind.

Unbeknownst to him, a single tear fell.

_"If Rin means anything to you...," she tearfully begged through bloody gasps, "please... **kill** her. For me."_

"You are my lady, and I am your servant." he said aloud. Their destinies were torn because of adult's foolish interests. "Even if the entire world becomes your enemy, I'll protect you..."

_"Mikuo is my favoritest person in the entire universe! No one can replace him!"_

"If you should called evil, then I am as well."

* * *

**A/N: **NOOOO GACHA! ^^ This makes you angrier, I bet. It's fine, though. I still gotta keep working my best! Anyway, don't feel too sore toward Len. He only means what's best. You gotta have sincere understanding for the characters... they're not all that bad, really. **XD** It's a love-hate relationship between the fans and the characters! Still, here's my complaint.

LEN YOU VAGIN*! **D:** Plus, a JJR pass is a foreigner discount ticket for transportation.

Yaaah, chili dogs in Japan. It was all I could think of.

**Blue Neonlightshow- **eyaah. you scared me there for a minute, but I'm glad you liked it *blushes* Don't be too mad at Len. **CherryChirdorin- **Really? How eerily similar. Thanks 4 reviewing! **Mirimo27**- I wholeheartedly enjoyed reading your review. It's a nice change, and I'm glad you're such a fan of this story. Thank you for your forgiveness, and please keep supporting Rin. **Cecilia Lorehart- **Your honesty is well-received. The POV changing can be extermely annoying to me. Now that more characters are coming into place, they'll need your honesty. Thank you! **JayJay223- **Original-ness rules, but I'd hate to have Teto bashing on Rin! Thanks for your review! **Anonymous- **A LOT. XD. **Diio Diva**- You're mean, that's all there is to it. But you're useful so I'll keep you. **Postquam est**- Glad to know you're taking the time, and I'm very thankful for it. Hey, I'm pretty bad at writing myself so we can just stick together on it! **Novaki Monderin- **I'm from outer space actually. haha. I wasn't thinking entire about the friendshipness, but I didn't like rushing things. Complexity is where it's at. Rin is the main subject who connects everyone's stories together, ha. And although I'm not particularly fond of being compared to Aineshi, I have to agree that our stories do share similarities. Also, I don't think your review was crappy. It made my day in fact... and I love Higurashi! **c3r69- **I'm flattered, thank you!** Zeiky****- **LOOOVEd your long reviews, sorry I didn't have time to reply... I got lazy. ^^ But I'm happy you like the characters and plot so much. It just came together one day while I was riding my bike... so yeah. I guess I'm not exactly re-writing the entire story until this one is done. But thanks for liking chapter 15! It's one of my favorites. **Demi-d chookies- **The greatest? awww... not really *blushes*

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	19. Past Remnants

**A/N:** Three updates in one month. A new record this year! Psh, I know it's terrible. I just got MMD and I might do something about it. The basis of this chapter is everyone's past... wooo! But people are hating Mikuo...lol.

**Bold**: Stands for singing, VOCALOID mode, and so on.

_Italics: _Stands for German, specific words, insane screaming, trancelike dreams/flashbacks, etc.

* * *

The students received average marks on the returned tests. (Most of them anyway.) The others weren't so lucky. Few passed with flying colors— Miku, Len, Piko, and Rin. He was remarkably disappointed though. Most of the questions were multiple choice (simple answer giveaways), and he had expected better feedback if not a little more actual effort. However, it was time to move on to the next lesson.

Everyone looked dead, appearing about ready to fall over and sleep. Their eyes were sunken and red-rimmed. Some of them looked like zombies. Nevertheless, he cleared his throat.

"Time to take notes." The students did so lazily. "Humans themselves are the most complicated sciences in the world." Taut legs took long strides toward the board as the man created a white diagram with his starchy chalk. "Their elemental structure made up of Hydrogen: 63% by mol, oxygen: 26-"

"Carbon is 9%… for a total of 98%." Len piped up. Gakupo smiled.

"Yes, yes." he continued, "Nitrogen is 1.25%… accounting for 99.25. The rest are traces."

Rin shyly raised her hand, "And calcium? There is a whole skeleton to account for, and calcium is not a trace."

Gakupo blinked, then laughed embarrassedly. "Sharp as always, Kagamine-chan. How could I forget?" he returned to the board, "Calcium accounts for only .25%."

"Only that much?" Someone exclaimed incredulously.

Fe = .00004%

"Sodium and phosphorus?"

Soon the board was covered in chalk.

S= .04%

Ph= .19%

"There." The professor looked over his work proudly, beamingly. "This will be on the quiz next week, so be prepared. Everything up there is what your bodies are made up of… elementally, of course."

"_But something's missing." _Amethyst eyes widened as a honey-like voice whispered _right in his ear_. His breath hitched, and he hastily spun around. He swallowed the hard lump in his throat as the color drained from his face. The bell rang and immediately, the pupils left. Gakupo however, stood there, staring at the board. He could've _sworn _he saw gold hair.

"Sir?" he turned to find Rin tilting her head at him in the most obscure manner. For a moment, he saw _her_ eyes. Cold sweat ran down the nape of his neck, and his lips became blue.

"Y-y-y-yesss, K-Kagamine…?" His stuttering habit erupted. How embarrassing, he could barely pronounce a sentence!

"_You're forgetting the heart, Kamui. A person's heart is what drives the body's chemical rebound. In other words, the emotions."_

"I would like to thank you for always taking the time to teach us." Rin said, bowing. "Being patient and helping everyone understand, it must be exhausting."

"_The heart?"_

Gakupo attempted to smile. "You're welcome."

Rin's face contorted strangely. She clutched her chest and bowed her head, breathing quickly. Then she fled. The man sighed and practically collapsed in his chair, gazing at the photo of the inspiring lady on his chrome desk. His fingers traced the frame's edges.

"There's nothing but chemistry here, Miriam."

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 19**

_**Past Remants**_

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**Berlin, Germany**

**Takashi Vault 12094**

"_Kamui Gakupo reporting." 18-year-old Gakupo was dressed in a cotton vest and formal slacks (he was never good at fashion), carrying a heavy set of books and papers. "Hansworth Science Academy imported me here in Japan, the best of the best." he bowed stiffly, "I'll be your new partner."_

_The gold beauty gasped. She pursed her lips as if troubled, turning away. "No. Why would he…?" she sounded in despair. Gakupo frowned. She disliked him already? He never had luck with women to begin with, but should've he had gone with the haircut like Tenchou suggested…?_

_He cleared his throat._

"_Oh… I apologize!" The woman fiddled with a loose hair strand, laughing. "I-It's just that this is the first time I've had to work with someone so young." she sighed before smiling, "I am Miriam Takashi. Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Kamui."_

"_Kamui Gakupo, I presume?" Crypton CEO: Takashi Leon, strode into the room. "I see you've also met my wife." Gakupo nodded. "Your file explains your star subjects are engineering, chemistry, robotics, and forensics."_

"_Yes, sir."_

_Leon nodded approvingly. "Then we'll get to work right away." The adults walked down the steel corridor. They passed the working labs, and Gakupo couldn't help but eye the caged creatures staring as they walked past; they came in all different shapes and sizes. Some were green, others were as large as pandas, and few even had multiple eyes! Being here was fascinating, simply fascinating. Rare chemicals boiled and electronics were tested everywhere in sight._

_This is a boy's dream come true._

"_Right away we'll get down the work." Leon said and opened a door for them. Two workers hauled by Gakupo, carrying a covered corpse on a stretcher. He blinked before shaking his head. I-It must've been another experiment. However, Miriam's eyes seemed to darken._

"_Where should I start, sir?" Gakupo asked, fussing with his laminated skeletal designs. Leon laughed grimly and gestured to a trace table consisting of lab equipment. Two scientists were there, muttering in German. He couldn't help but look behind the table where a colossal reactor stood, bubbling with water and fuel components. Extending through the ceiling and floor, it acted as if it were a Greek pillar. It was the most spectacular sight he ever laid eyes on._

_It was so beautiful, in fact that he nearly cried._

"_Majestic, isn't it?" Leon's voice broke into his thoughts. "My forefathers founded it for many generation, but it's still under construction."_

_"Why?"_

_Leon scoffed. "This, Kamui, is not an ordinary reactor; it contains the newest and most hazardous element in the world which generates nuclear power and absorbs other living forces at will." He said, "I have a theory—a living vessel storing radioactive isotopes of hydrogen will penetrate the reactor's radiation as the form changes. That force will be born which creates and destroys anything at will." Leon sounded like a boy wanting to become Superman. His eyes sparked with passionate joy, and his arms trembled under excitement._

_"But what would you need with a vessel, if you don't mind me asking." Gakupo meekly spoke up, "Surely you could just pour the isotopes seperately instead of mixing everything inside something beforehand. Wouldn't that trigger a closed explosion?"_

_"An ordinary vessel won't be used, Kamui. After all, it has to be alive." Slowly, a look of horror contorted Gakupo's face as he came to a realization._

_"Y-you're not talking about using..." he gulped, "a _**_living _**_human body?"_

_Leon grinned somewhat darkly. "Welcome to the first stage of Project: VOCALOID." Taking the anatomy chart from the younger man's hands, he spread it out on the table. "The body will be modified at a very young age, possibly at birth. Instead of calcium rich bones which we humans have, the vessel's skeletal system will consist of titanium which will serve as a conductor for increased body electricity." He then pulled up a blueprint of the body's muscular system. "Your job is to design sketches of the vessel's structure; explain the possibilities…" He went on about many things: cloning neurons to strengthen intelligence, injecting strength enhancements into muscles (to surpass human strength), and insert computer mechanics inside every body system (respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, endocrine, digestive). The vessel would be absorbed into the reactor which would trigger the reactions._

_As Gakupo scribbled down notes, he wondered whether they were aiming to unlock a reactor's powers or construct a cyborg. Hours passed as they discussed about what they should do, and then a silver-haired couple arrived. One was a man with his hair slicked back into a tiny ponytail while the other, a woman whose hair was longer and thicker. They both had healthy forms (they probably exercised daily) as their features were sharp and well-defined._

_Leon greeted them graciously, shaking their hands and cracking dry jokes. "Kamui, this is my partner, Honne Dell and his wife, Haku." he said, "They created Internet Ctd., our sister company. Not only are they investing in our project, but they're also our university friends."_

"_Honored to meet you." Gakupo politely shook their hands._

"_My," Haku started with a smile, "you're quite young."_

"_Manners, old girl." Dell nudged his wife playfully. She laughed. Their noses collided as they shared a kiss. Gakupo couldn't help stare. After all, seeing a couple so in love was a sight to behold (not to mention he was secretly a hopeless romantic)._

_Leon cleared his throat, "Since you're both here, would you mind if I spoke to you both about certain matters?" They agreed. Leon rubbed his hands together and said to Gakupo and Miriam, "I won't be long." When they left the room, it was until Miriam finally spoke._

"_Tell me, Kamui— what is the most important aspect in a human body?"_

_Gakupo blinked. Shouldn't they be discussing atom collusions? Nonetheless he answered, "The brain."_

"_Wrong." Miriam laughed, causing him to blink. She lightly massaged her netted hair bun, smoothing out the frizzes. "It's the heart." He furrowed his head in confusion._

"_Why is that?"_

_Her eyes twinkled. "Intellect is nothing without emotions. What are smarts without personality? Consider this: you could be the wisest person on Earth, but at the price you'd have to give up your feelings." she looked at him, "Would you do it?"_

"_I would." Gakupo answered curtly, "And anyway, emotions come from the brain, not the heart."_

_Miriam shook her head. "The heart is a conscious being by itself; it has a mind or its 'brain' if you prefer calling it that way. Studies have shown you can try convincing a lie to your brain but your heart will continue beating. It supports you for you." She stated as her expression became melancholy. "Your answer disappoints me; to think you would consider giving up smiling, crying, or being angry just for power. That you would willingly forget about your dreams and the people important to you; a shell… just like the project we're creating." Gakupo was in awe, not to mention speechless. He learnt amazing things in his lifetime but never had he encountered such strange and powerful wisdom. This woman… surely she knew better than most._

_Miriam clasped both hands together. "To me, it sounds terribly lonely. I don't think I could bear it. Knowledge and power may be influential, but they're also limited; the heart can do so much more." she stated. "Please never forget that."_

"Professor?" Luka stood in the door, smiling and holding her books. "I'm having trouble with yesterday's subject. Could you help me?" The teacher pushed his ponytail back and nodded.

"Sit then." Beaming, Luka sat in the front row. "What exactly are you having trouble with?"

"Chapter two: chemical energy."

Right.

Like before, he explained how it worked: chemical energy is the energy trapped in molecules. Most plants used photosynthesis to trap it. Food and gas are high in chemical energy. He then explained the difference between nuclear and chemical energies. That nuclear energy is made when minute particles, atoms, split or fused.

Fifteen minutes later, Luka managed to get halfway through the assignment. Yawning, she stretched out her arms. "Done!" she announced happily. Putting her books away, she smiled at him before noticing his sullen expression. "Professor?"

"Hm?"

"You seem troubled."

He sighed, "I'm just thinking about the past. I worked in Germany as an engineer before I began teaching." Interested, Luka leaned forward with her hands on either side of her chin.

"What was it like?"

"Oh, it was fascinating." He said. "The countryside is beautiful and the West has a lot of historical places to visit. I also made dear friends there." He fondly remembered the times he and his friends would chat away the days when visiting the museums and cities. Then his eyes darkened upon remembering his underground career. "But if only I could time travel. I could've stopped myself so none of it would've happened…" his voice trailed off. Luka approached him.

"But, why?" she asked confusedly, "You made wonderful memories there, didn't you?"

Gakupo hesitated before answering, "Yes, well... it's complicated." He stepped away, looking sideways. "I've done things I regret doing." How could he explain? It's not like he could tell her he was involved with man-made abominations. "There's something I could've prevented." The beautiful student eyed him with heavenly blues. Lengthy salmon hair swished behind her as she reached out to touch his face. His heart leapt to his throat feeling her tickling fingers tracing his cheek.

"We all make mistakes, professor." Luka replied. "Whatever's done is done, and no one can change the past." He couldn't help noticing the forming dimples of her smile. "And anyway, the future is all that matters."

The future… oh... how could he forget?

Relieved, his own hand grasped the one cradling his cheek. He squeezed it. Luka blushed, taken off-guard by his sudden action. "Thank you, Megurine-chan." Though surprised and having no clue what brought this on, she smiled back.

They remained that way for a while.

* * *

Pouring another glass of water, Haku set the pitcher down and observed the students. She was pleased to find everyone actually working. The actors practiced their lines together while the crew immediately began painting the background screens. But earlier, she had to prevent a paint-fight from two silly boys who she ordered to clean up their mess.

Haku rolled her eyes.

Boys are such rascals.

Kaito circled the stage with Len and pointed a lightsaber at him. Right now they were practicing one of the scenes for Act III; when Allen hides Michaela from the destruction of the Green Country. "Look here now; a yellow and a blue face-to-face. Shouldn't we be battling to the death?"

Len recited his lines. "Challenging his highness would surely lead to my demise."

"Indeed," Kaito pretended to laugh. "So why are you helping us? A kinsman of the yellow princess wouldn't dare go against her orders... unless you're in love with my lady Michaela?"

Len turned his back, "My devotion to the princess outweighs any silly affections I might have for your lady."

"CUT!" Momoko clapped her hands. "Wonderful, both of you!"

"Yeah, yeah," Kaito rolled his eyes and jumped offstage. "Anyone seen Meiko?" Haku smiled inwardly. That boy was the rascal of rascals. The young woman came walking up, clapping.

"Encore." she laughed.

Kaito grinned, "Maybe next time. I'm pooped." They began horsing around. That Meiko girl, Haku observed, clearly fancied Kaito. She had a soft look on her face and eyed him adoringly. She chuckled. Ah, young love.

Haku got up and headed behind the curtain, she witnessed the others working. She went even further backstage, looking for her knitting needles. Then she saw something impeccably dreadful.

A gasp elicted from Project Rin as she stumbled onto the floor. Her script-book lay beside. She clutched her chest in pain, moaning. Trying to stand, only to collapse again. _"No,"_ a whimper escaped, _"don't remember...!"_ Her facial expression became one of angst. Her hands shook uncontrollably as she tried to steady herself. Haku grabbed her chin and forced their gazes together.

_"Is it painful?"_ she asked slowly in German.

The Project's eyes widened momentarily before she let out a soundless cry, nodding. _"Y-Yes,"_ she gasped, _"pain-"_ Green briefly colored her corneas as she suddenly grasped her head. Frowning, Haku aggressively grabbed her face.

_"Look,"_ she spoke in a voice which aired authority, _"deep into my eyes."_ Stone-cold cardinal orbs bore into desperate blues. After a few seconds, the girl suddenly appeared dazed; her eyelids drooped and she no longer looked in pain. Haku smiled and commanded in a very soft voice, _"Sleep now."_

Rin collapsed in her lap. Sleeping like the dead, Haku mused as they sat there. Chuckling, she stroked her back like a mother would to her child. "Keep trying, Rin-chan." Pale, lady-like fingers came down and touched her forehead. Haku blinked to see a ghastly woman with gold locks hovering above.

Rin's breathing relaxed as the drifting ghost started humming a tune. Haku wondered, was she imagining things or was that really who she thought it was? A smile befell Rin's lips as she slept soundly, cuddling closer. The lady smiled.

_"It seems she's alright now_."

Then she vanished.

* * *

**_Berlin, Germany_**

**Takashi HQ: Leon's Private Room**

A puff of smoke escaped into the air, followed by typing noises. Lily closed her eyes, patiently waiting to be acknowledged. She never liked this room; it was so messy and smelt of burnt ashes. Inhaling his cigar, Leon merely continued loading his computer files. _"Train with Ruko and the others."_

Lily scoffed_, "You expect me to improve my fighting with those weaklings? Hah! They can't even get a punch past me!"_ She sat down, crossing her legs. _"Ruko is acceptable, but Nana, Mako, Sora, and Ring... they're such whiny underdogs. And the others are worse."_

Leon uncaringly sighed. "_You're annoying me."_

_"But you should be resting, **Father**." _Leon growled, and she flinched. What was this mood shift? Days ago, Harkinian kept rubbing his hairy hands agitatedly, which looked rather funny; he had to be the one delivering news of Miki's failure. Leon, however, grinned and dismissed him, much to her surprise. (She expected a meltdown.)

_"I can't rest knowing my work is unfinished. Not that you could understand. Now leave."_ Anger still roamed in him. After all, he should've known installing GachapoidR3000 was a mistake; all he did was meddle. Now that meticulous robot was out of the way, Leon could properly manage his glorious future plans. He then frowned.

There were still a few preparations in need of completion. And recapturing Rin was no easy task; they had to be discreet about it. The last thing he needed was Japan's president coming after him with guns and explosives.

_"You summoned me?" _Shooter appeared and bowed before them, her black hair cascading to the floor.

_"Where's Mikuo?"_ he asked in a detached voice.

_"I can't say, sir."_ the ebony girl answered, "_He never informs me of his whereabouts." _So tenacious, that brat. Lily narrowed her eyes. You could never let your guard around him. Guns and arms were pulled out when he abruptly breached the underground entrance. But it was shocking to hear him offer aid. Leon had been skeptical at first, but after their private discussion he proudly announced the boy as an ally.

Lily, however, was skeptical.

Not only had Mikuo served _her_, but he was clearly up to something. Also, it unnerved how different he acted now than in the past: stronger, quieter, and even (she would never admit this aloud)- frightening.

_"Haku is progressing, but her son is distraction." _Shooter informed, suddenly grinning and popping her knuckles, _"Shall I 'talk' to her for you?"_

_"No need. She'll obey orders."_ Everything was going according to plan quickly; he had good enough reason to feel cocky as to let this slide. And lovely Haku, being an expert in psychological manipulation, proved her usefullness (she deserved some reward, family reunions and all [not that he cared]). He only felt somewhat bad for Dell, having to face his ex-wife again.

Disgusted, Lily headed for the door. Her shoulder roughly collided with Shotter's, ignoring her snarl. Her black combat boots clacked noisily against the steel floor as she entered the foyer. A pissed expression then settled on her features.

How can that man act so reckless? Just because everything ran smoothly now doesn't mean they should slow it down! His arrogance would lead them to demise. In lieu of all this, her main frustration was being forced to stay here; all the action was in Japan. If Project Rin kept eschewing their advances, she would have to take charge (even if it meant disobeying orders). She pursed her lips thoughtfully as she stepped into an underground garden.

Capturing the project by herself would not only impress her 'father', but she could also avenge _her_.

"_You should go to sleep."_

_A slight laugh escaped from Miriam as she took a sip from her mug. "How can I sleep with this ticking haunting me?" Young Lily peered from behind the wall, spying on the two adults. Before taking flight to Russia, she just had to say goodbye to Miriam._

"_Counting has always been a habit of mine ever since I was small." Miriam said as she typed away at the computer. "I even keep numbered lists from time to time, mostly about my dreams." her voice faltered. "And yet, I've lost count of everything. Even my failures." Gakupo broke eye contact, knowing she would start crying._

"_IT'S NO USE!" A scream tore from her lungs, startling Lily. Miriam threw aside her work and brought her hands shakily to her head. "That thing we're creating is not my child!" ________Choked cries escaped through every pause. _Sobbing, she slid to her knees.

_"Why not me before her...?" Her voice was so overcome with grief that words were barely coherent, "Why did fate deceive me?"_

_Gakupo tried reaching for her._

_"__Miriam-"_

___"Do you know why we replaced Mikuo?" Not waiting for his answer, she gasped, "It's because I desperately believed by using science, Rin could have the life she never had. I couldn't save her from the start."_

_Lily helplessly watched; there was nothing she could do._

___"I'll always be doing this," Her entire body racked with weak sobs and her hair came loose, "____Counting things I'll never see..."_

Seeing mother off in tears was the last thing Lily wanted, so she never said goodbye. Looking around, she reminscenced on the old memories in this garden. She sighed; the last time she visited was ages ago. It wasn't surprising everything was in ruins.

Dead grass grew up to her knees, and she noted its green chlorophyl had been lost for years. And the pond, which used to thrive with croaking frogs, oozed with moss over the grimy water. The veranda was no longer sturdy but broken and battered; its cast iron weathered from erosion. Withered roses and daffodils curved the stone path.

Lily suddenly bristled with alert.

Someone was here.

Lily's legs carried her across the grass and over a large hill. She freezed upon arriving in a vivid flower field (as if time hadn't touched it). Its colors blinded her and the strong fragrance overwhelmed her nostrils. Blinking ahead, she caught a glimpse of blonde hair under a white hat. A faint giggle reached her ears.

_"La la la la laaa~..."_

Lily crouched in a defensive position and narrowed her surroundings. She couldn't let her guard down, not even for a child. Another giggle sounded to her left. Just as she was about to throw a knife, she froze.

Meters away was a lady clad in a long white dress with gold hair spilling down her shoulders. A serene smile grew on her face. Lily's hands flew to her mouth as she gasped, tears burning her eyes.

_Mother!_

Just as she was about to cry and run to her, everything vanished. The flowers were gone, and Lily now stood in a brown cropland. A terrible realization hit her as she sank to her knees.

* * *

_**Kagamine Mansion**_

**11:11 a.m.**

"Honey, have you seen my paints?" Dell simply shrugged and continued reading his latest edition of his newspaper. Nami pouted, "Mou, you're no help." She rummaged through the kitchen drawers. "Really, where did I put them…?" As pots and pans clattered to the floor, the man continued reading.

Hm. Looks like taxes were finally taking its toll on the high-class Chinese…

An impatient, teary-eyed Nami finally slapped the side of his head, crying, "Darn you! Help me out already!" And so, the massive search began. For hours, they checked every room in the entire mansion. Dell gave up after reaching the attic.

"Delly-kiiins!"

"I'm afraid they're gone for good, Nami."

"But still!" The woman got on her knees and childishly grabbed onto his leg to prevent him from leaving. "If I don't finish the painting today, I'll have to cancel the opening!"

"Nami, please let go."

"I refuse!"

Dell sighed, running a hand through his stiff, gel-thick hair. Honestly, this woman can be a handful. With a firm tug, he squirmed free of his wife's clawing grasp. "I'll stop by the hardware store and pick up new paints." Squealing at her victory, she hugged and kissed him multiple times.

"Yaaay~! Love you!"

The man chuckled and headed downstairs. Tonio was in the living room, playing the boys' Xbox. "Animation has exploded in its progress." he commented while tossing Dell his car keys (somehow he knew he was going out). "Where to, sir?" Picking up his laptop, he followed his boss outdoors.

"Hardware." Dell responded as he opened his vehicle's door and slipped inside. With a turn of his keys, the engine purred to life.

"Should I tag along?"

"No," he answered, "I'd rather you monitor Nami. Also, keep an eye out for Gachapoid." Tonio nodded and stepped away. The SUV rolled out of the driveway and into the snowy road. As he drove, the sun gradually blinded his gazes, making him squint in annoyance. How he hated driving during this time of year. He opened the sunglasses case and unexpectedly, a photo landed in his hand. Looking at it, his heart stopped.

"_I brought you some water." Haku didn't reply. Dell's eyes shifted to where she gazed. He sighed and placed the glass on the table, sitting beside her. They were at the Takashi conference room, sitting inside when it was warm out. Miriam sat across from them, politely looking away. Their children were out playing in her garden so they couldn't bother them. His hand ran through his silvery hair, combed and thick with gel. She finally looked at him, glancing at his advanced company suit which stared coldly back at her. "Haku. Is it true?"_

"_Is what true, Dell?"_

"_That you're to take part in the project?"_

"…_Yes."_

_Dell looked at her, dumbfounded. "Why are you surprised?" She asked, lowering her gaze to the ground. "It's already been decided."_

_Turning to Miriam, he demanded, _"W_hatever happened to that boy? Why are you suddenly converting to…"_

"_Hah! I don't what you're implying." Another voice chimed in. It was Leon. He stood beside Miriam and glared at Dell. "But Miriam and I are scientists. We know what we're doing."_

_"Miriam…" Dell began in a soft voice, "are you sure this is what you really want? I mean... using your child!" Miriam's face formed a certain emotion. Fear, perhaps? Anger? sadness? regret?_

"_Am I sure? Am I _**_sure_**_?" she cried. "If this only concerns me, then yes I'm sure!"_

"_Oh. I..." Crestfallen, he turned away. He grew strangely quiet as if thinking. Then his eyes narrowed, and he stood up. "If this is the way things ought to be, then I quit." The leaders reacted with surprise, as Haku and Miriam stood up from their chairs. "I mean it." he spoke in a firm voice that prevented Leon's words. "I won't fund anyone using science to roleplay as God."_

It was hard to interpret how he felt that day seeing his wife and friends stare at him in a such a disturbing manner.

_"Oh, Dell... please. Y-you can't do this." Miriam pleaded._

_"Preposterous!" Leon roared and flung his arms up, "Don't you know this project can change the ways we've been living? We'd have perfected access to a cleaner, more efficient power source: nuclear!" His face contorted in fury as he clenched both fists and slammed them against the table. "Compared to the failures, she possesses more power than I ever dreamed of!" He exclaimed. "I need to prove to those Japanese fools her potential, and you're suggesting I throw everything away?" Dell shifted his gaze. "You know how much I sacrificed for this?" he screamed._

_A silence._

_Dell finally spoke, "Before, you were passionate about reviving your family reactor. But is that really it, Leon?" he looked at Leon's red and panting face. "You replaced the boy with your own daughter... why? Wasn't he good enough?"_

_The blond man licked his lips, "Never. He was only the first trial."_

_'Animal.' Dell thought disgustedly._

_"Dell." Someone touched his arm; it was Haku. "We must support this. It could change the way militaries think! Think of it," her eyes flashed, "the power, the respect; no one would dare defy us if we have the VOCALOID. Its bionic abilities could surpass the strength of twenty men! Sixty even!" Looking into her eyes, he could see how much she changed. The gentleness in her face was long gone, replaced with cold wit and ambition; it disappointed him._

_"I see obtaining efficient energy isn't the goal anymore; you're creating a weapon." he said flatly as he looked at every one of them. "All of you have changed." his eyes fell on Haku, becoming even more sad. "I'm leaving for the next flight in Japan tomorrow."_

_"Go then. I'm staying."_

_"... I'm taking the children."_

_Haku gasped, looking grief-stricken. "N-no, you can't. Not my Kaito!" Dell's hand reached her cheek, and he searched her eyes one last time before he sighed._

_"Remember, Leon: nobel prize."_

_Leon only scoffed._

_"You can't stop me from seeing him! He's my son too!" Haku cried as he exited the room, but he could still hear her screams from outside. "I swear we'll meet again! And when that time comes, I'll take him back!"_

The photo of Haku clenched in his tight grip was now distorted. It crumpled to the floor. Sighing, he rubbed his aching temple. He thought it was over. He thought he could live peacefully and forget everything; he remarried and prevented Kaiko and Kaito from straying into dangerous lives to avoid their mother's same fate. After Kaiko found out three years ago, it took a lot of consoling and explaining before she even spoke a word to him.

Kaito was a harder nut to crack. Dell drove into the interstate highway, accelerating the speed. As if it weren't difficult enough to raising him to believe his mother walked out on them, it became even harder when he married Nami. His openly goofy and friendly nature vanished, and he bore a grudge against Len that lasted almost two years. (Like mother, like son; a chip off his mother's block, thus being her favorite.) Nonetheless, life had been steady for seven years.

Then, Rin arrived.

The past decided to haunt him by sending him that girl. On that night, he knew the choices: bring her back to Leon (though he hardly considered this), throwing her back out on the streets or killing her to take precautions.

But...

_Fixing his tie, Dell called for both Kaiko and Kaito to stop playing as they were going to leave soon. __"Dell, wait!" For a moment, his heart leapt for joy as he thought Haku came to terms with her decision. But when he turned around, it was Miriam calling him. Overcoming this pain, he nodded as she approached. Her eyes looked sympathetic and her lips stretched into a lonesome, almost melancholy smile. "Thank you for your oath. About keeping this," she gestured to the underground facility, "a secret."_

_Dell chuckled, "If you're here, Miriam, everything won't fall in disarray."_

_Miriam laughed, wiping her eyes. "I'll keep it to that." she said before flashing another smile, though Dell could see the pain in it. "Promise me one thing," she choked out, "if somehow, Rin were to end up in your hands... will you care for her?"_

_"But-" Dell started, puzzled._

_"It'll never happen, I know." Miriam spoke shakily. Being the fragile woman she was, she looked at him with all the helpless hope in the world. "But I need to hear someone swear that they'd make up for her short years; that they would nurture and give her happiness... if only there were a second chance." Dell blinked as she held onto that faltering smile._

_"Please promise me."_

Of course, he did as she asked. It was the only little comfort he could give to a such poor woman. Little had he expected the scenario to actually happen. He also hadn't expected keeping his promise; especially when Len and Kaito closely befriended her over time. He grew to like her as well.

Minutes later, he drove past Seija Academy. He couldn't help but slow down and observe it in full detail. One look at it and you could tell it was mainly for high-class people. The grass was well-mowed and patterned, its white walls always appeared polished, and its bold letters gleamed with pride. He gradually slowed to a stop seeing a person ahead crossing. Waiting patiently, he checked his watch. It was already two o'clock.

Dell looked back up to resume his destination. Then, his heart stopped as a car past him. At that split second, he swore the driver blew him a kiss. He swallowed as it drove down the road.

Dell could've sworn he saw a keen face with silvery hair and blood-red gaze that always sent him in a trance. He then shook his head in self-denial and continued driving. No, why would Leon send her after him? She proved more useful in Germany. Yes... that's right. His imagination was acting up again. Just then, his phone went off.

"Dell Honne speaking."

_"Daddy! Where are you?"_ It was Kaiko. She sounded concerned.

"I'm driving right now. What's wrong?"

_"Get to the clinic. Gachapoid's signal is completely out!" _Dell froze.

That could mean only one thing.

* * *

"Whaddaya mean, he's dead?" Al shouted, slamming both fists on the table. He stared at them disbelievingly, accusingly. "If that's true, then y'all in big trouble!" School was out, and the NND came straight here. Apparently, Gachapoid's life signal on the reading was no longer active.

"Like I said, that's what the computers are saying." Kaiko calmly answered, closing her eyes. "There's nothing we can do."

"We're not mentioning this to anyone outside this room." Dell concluded, "Especially not to Rin."

Al looked at him exasperatedly, "Ain't there enough secrets?"

"Since their mental connection is broken, it's likely Rin is already under stress. We can't risk operating her VOCALOID mode again."

"I think Dell is right." Lola spoke up, sitting up properly in her chair. "It'll only upset her more." True it was. They had to be very careful when it came to pressuring that emotional stability.

Iroha cried, burying her face in his her hands. Gachapoid was her friend, her idol. She always looked up to him ever since they first talked. Big Al wrapped his strong arms around her in a comforting hug. Hiccuping uncontrollably, she crushed the metal cup in her hands. If she ever got her hands out that Hatsune weasel, she was gonna bash his skull to pieces!

That was when Taya, the secretary stormed in.

"Dell, sir! Every computer in our level is acting erratically. They keep turning on and off, and we have no idea why!" Just as Dell was about to respond, all the computers in the room inadverntly flashed on. Static flickered on every screen, and everyone stood up in surprise.

"What's all this?"

Tonio poked his laptop screen. "Sir. My laptop's gone haywire." The gray-haired man leaned over him. Just then a file popped up. "It's a message from an unknown source."

"Click it." Tonio complied, and a pop-up message showed up. The NND scrambled over, pushing each other to get a look.

**Greetings, Dell.**

**It's been a long time, hasn't it? Now, ****I understand you have something of mine which took off without permission. While I'm grateful you've been developing her, I must ask for her back**_._

Iroha glared at the screen.

**There are three things you should have in running a company: power, drive, and smarts. Father didn't have what it took. He gave up his dream of perfecting fusion power because of his weak feelings. Miriam too. But imagine, Dell: clean energy, bionic weapons, evolutionized humans... perfect beginnings; but the company needs Project Rin to make those things happen. The world will look through a new set of eyes.**

**We've been watching all this time; every movement, every emotion, every person regarding the project; your loved ones.**

"This is crazy."

Dell didn't answer.

**Here's my proposition:**

**Within two months, Crypton will reach its highest peak of success. That gives you time enjoy the holidays. But here's your end of the bargain... a private jet will be where the old Crypton building used to be; in the hangars. If the project, coming alone, boards the plane, then I ensure you and your family will be forever left at peace.**

**But if Project Rin isn't out of your hands at that date, I'll have no choice but to use force (even if it means killing every last person in Japan).**

**Mark my words, Dell. I will have her.**

**- Leon**

No one spoke. Not even as the message self-deleted itself.

Tonio looked at Dell. "What do you want us to do?"

Dell shook his head, at a loss. "I don't know."

* * *

_**Sapporo, Japan**_

_**5:11 PM**_

_**Sapporo Shrine**_

Nine-year-old Kaai Yuki prayed at the shrine. Squeezing her eyes shut, she exclaimed in a very loud voice, "Please help Daddy get better!" Afterwards she sighed and tugged at her mittens. She hoped her mother would let her see Daddy at the hospital soon. His dangerous work always got him hurt (this time his leg wasn't working because some scary monster injured him at a theme park).

But she was still proud of him.

A grin appeared on the child's face. No matter what, she would always be a 'Hiyama' too (when Mommy wasn't around). Swinging her arms, she watched the cars pass. Lucky for her, no one came here often before Christmas. There would be no autograph signing today (hooray for her pens!).

As she began catching snowflakes, a plop sounded from the shrine well. Curious, Yuki ran over and wondered if it was a frog prince. She poked her head into the well and peered in. Then she blinked in surprise.

The snow continued to fall.

* * *

**_A/N:_ **Dun dun duuuuun. Confused? Counting, one of Miriam's songs, has its reference.

**Postquam est- **YESSS GACHA. Murr. Sorry but I happen to be a RinxLen 4ever fan. No exceptions. But the relationship is the farthest from mind. **AliasStars- **Thanks! You're very kind. Meh, I'm pretty scatterbrained to the point where I don't notice if there's a fire beside me when I'm typing **(lol)**. You're okay. **iPolaris-** Hellooo my apprentice! Bright eye you got there, I was trying to indirectly point that out to the viewers but I guess you're the only genius. The mysteries are being solved! Yah, little Rin is adorable, and I hope your story is coming along! **fujingodofwind-** BRS rocks, thanks! **Mirimo27**- Wow. Looong review but I like it! Thank you, Mikuo still loves ya but I'm trolling glad you like the characters... raaah. BTW, the lightning update is here! And Gacha is fine... I think **XD**. **Cecilia Loreheart- **A grammarian, huh? Just what I need **XD**. It's really kind of you to put your corrections out there... though it sort of made me feel bad, honestly. But I'm still grateful, and it drives me to satisfy you. Note: even if I recheck this over, it might still have unintentional typos. **TheShhTiger- **Haha I'm glad you like the humor (personally I think it's terrible) though I try to balance that and the story's actual seriousness. Haha. Thanks for reviewing. **dragonroses**- Your pen-name is cool! I will keep it up! **Shadow Fox777- **POOR GACHA! **DX** aww he has a big fan here. Don't worry, he'll be okay. WHERE'S THE AMV? **xXKittenLoveXx**- Dreaming about it? Aw... thanks! You don't know how badly I'm blushing right now! But holy heck your concept is pretty... out there. But I have to admit a few of those ideas have potential. Thanks! **Devon- meeeh **School buddy! XD Thanks for looking up at it and I hope you read moooore! **Novaki Monderin- **A-Alien? That's a first **O_o** Thanks though! Action scenes aren't my best... ha. But thank you and it's great to see another Gacha fan!

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**Reviews = Motivation to write** (is my punishment over?)

_Next time on Project: VOCALOID... __Chapter 20 - **Just Be Friends**_

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	20. Just Be Friends

**_A_/N:** Gaah… step throat sucks. But you know what makes everything better? CARDCAPTOR SAKURA (my fav anime). Sorry I haven't updated like I planned to. But this chapter for VOCALOID fans around the world. Enjoy. And on a side note, I love you guys~.

**Bold**: Stands for singing, VOCALOID mode, and so on.

_Italics: _Stands for German, specific words, insane screaming, trancelike dreams/flashbacks, etc.

* * *

**Len's POV**

I rushed around, trying to find my pants. Kaito shouted from downstairs, "I'm heading out of the kitchen... now I'm in the living room- oh! Now I'm six feet from the door! five feet! two feet!" What an annoying...!

I flung open my door and shouted, "YOU MORON! Will it kill you to wait for two minutes?"

"YES!"

Huffing, I crawled under my bed. Where are my pants? The last thing I need is being at school in my underwear, and there's no way I'm letting that happen. My fingers rubbed against fabric. My pants? Pulling it out, I saw it wasn't my pants but a plush rabbit. Pink cotton was its fur and it had black buttons for eyes; it also smelled like dust. I stroked its long, left ear. Despite being worn, an old tenderness pulled at my heart-strings.

I murmured, "Who were you again...?"

Mom slammed open the door, whooping, "ARISE, MY BABY~!" She tackled me onto the bed. I yelled in protest as she started snuggling me. I'm still in my underwear! And she didn't even knock!

"Mooom!"

"Len-kun," she wailed and pressed our cheeks together, "please start preparing early so you won't keep wearing down your old mother like this; her bones aren't as sturdy as they used to be!" I internally sighed. Old? You have the energy and mind of a preschooler. Noticing the bunny, she gasped. "Ooooh. So you found it!" Smiling, she took the rabbit from my hands and cradled it.

"Found it? You mean I've had this before?"

Mom tilted her head. "You took this wherever you went during your first primary years. Remember?" I shook my head. She raised a brow before nodding empathetically. "But it _was_ a long time ago, and you were tiny back then."

I looked at her questioningly, "What do you mean?"

"Well," Grinning, she handed me the plush, "This belonged to Len-kun's first love~!"

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 20**

_**Just Be Friends**_

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**Miku's POV**

"First love?"

"N-not really; my mom was exaggerating." A flustered Len quickly corrected me. I glanced at the bunny he came in with; it was cute. He tossed it up and down as we walked to class. How precious, I thought with a smile, to think he started crushing at such a tiny age! It would've been silly to get jealous over a small crush, one that took place in the past, anyway.

Reaching over, I touched its ruffled fur; it had clearly been loved and worn with constant attention. "Who was she?" I asked, sincerely curious. Len's face scrunched up slightly in thought.

"Uh... She arrived during the summer before I started primary school. Back then, I developed slowly without friends." He laughed slightly, "I was lonely." I blinked. Len was lonely? It was hard to believe since he was so outgoing.

"Really?" We entered the gym where people were already dressed out. Today we were supposed to be swimming.

"Yeah," he said, "I can't remember what she looked like. But I know she was fun-loving and boisterous." His eyes became soft as he gently pinched the rabbit's cheeks. "I enjoyed playing with her. She knew how to make people laugh, including me." His ears turned pink. "She... truly made me happy."

I frowned; I couldn't help but feel envious. Not because he liked her but because she did those things that made him happy.

"She sounds like a great person." Whoever she is. "I suppose she gave you this?" I poked the bunny.

He grinned shyly at me (awww!). "I think so." he then sighed, "But it was a long time ago, and I don't know what happened to her afterwards." Pathetic relief filled me as my trembling lips curled into a smile.

Now... I have to tell him. How about I feel about him.

It's now or never.

"Len-kun..."

"Yes?" I took a deep breath and felt the flames burn up my cheeks. My heart raced and my fingers trembled. Closing my eyes, I opened my mouth and exclaimed.

"I LOVE YOU!"

My eyes snapped open. Huh? That wasn't my voice... I saw Len glance behind me in surprise. His jaw slacked open slightly. Curious, I followed his gaze and copied his reaction. "I love you, Rin-chan!" Piko shouted again and bowed. Passing students stopped to watch. Piko broke into a sweat as his eyes squeezed shut. His face grew bright red. "And I don't believe any of the rumors! Rin-chan is too sentimental to hurt anyone!"

I stared, totally speechless. Okay, everyone knows Utatane has the biggest crush on Rin, but he's known to be shy; he didn't have many friends. Since when was he bold?

"Y-You're so kind, c-cute a-and smart a-a-and y-you're always so helpful...! Ever since you helped me that one time, I haven't been able to get you out of my head!" he boldly stated while staring deep into her eyes, trembling as his face reddened, "Rin-chan, you're the girl of my dreams." His words evoked many squeals from die-hard romantics, who positively ate up the scene while crying. Ignoring them, he gulped, "S-so please..." This time, he looked at her directly in the eye, appearing determined and confident. "G-GO OUT WITH ME!" He said a little too loudly. Those words echoed in the gym and bounced off walls. I clasped my hands together and watched. It was only natural to witness what would happen. I looked at Len-kun and saw an unreadable expression on his face, which became white. He kept staring with his jaw tightly clenched. He inhaled sharply.

I wonder what he's thinking...

Rin, not talking once, had been staring at Piko the entire time. Then she tilted her head and smiled leniently.

"Oh...if it pleases you, then of course."

My brain felt like it would explode.

Piko sighed in disappointment as he nodded, "And I respect your answer. After all, I've never considered myself worthy to-" he blinked rapidly, "Wait, what did you say?" His expression was hopeful.

Rin nodded, "We will go out." Her expression suddenly became full of doubt, "Oh, yes... I will ensure to be worthy of your company, Piko-kun."

"What..." Len gasped.

"What?" I dumbly repeated.

"WHAAAT?" Most everyone shouted. Students flocked around Rin and Piko. Len handed me his bunny to slide around to the front with a desperate look on his face. I stood there, speechless.

"R-Really?" Piko gasped, looking like he wanted to hug her. "Thank you! Thank you, Rin-chan! You have no idea how happy this makes me!" Without a word, Rin took his hand and led him away. "Eh?" Though confused, he followed.

"Wai… Rin!" Len cried and bolted after them. The students, including me, did the same. Rin and Piko exited the emergency door and now stood outside. She looked at Piko with happy pride, as if she had accomplished something difficult.

"There," she declared, "we went out."

Everybody facepalmed.

* * *

"Well you misunderstood him, Rin-chan. That's probably why he left crying." Meiko laughed as she waded. I listened to their conversation as dipped my foot in the water.

Rin looked at her feet. "But I thought he wanted us to go out…"

"Going out' is a slang term for courtship." Megurine explained, "He didn't literally mean going outside unless it'd have been a date."

"I don't fully understand…" Rin spoke. I sighed. Either Rin is actually this ignorant or she's doing this for attention. Either way, it's annoying. "But I think I should apologize to Piko-kun later. He seemed very sad." We were in the pool area where everyone was supposed to be doing goal sets. But I overheard Megurine and Meiko explaining to Rin about courtship.

"… So you see, in courtship, a couple gets to know each other and decides if it can proceed into a higher relationship_-_ marriage or an engagement. A courtship may be informal between two people, a public affair, or a formal arrangement with family approval." Megurine stated with a smile. Rin listened intently, appearing to absorb her words. "Traditionally, the male's role to actively woo a female, thus encouraging her to accept him."

"Now, it's pretty common for girls to both initiate relationships and propose marriage." Meiko added.

"I see now!" Rin exclaimed in awe, "You are both so wise and good at explaining things. Really, you help me understand so much… and you really are amazing, Luka." A happy smile lit up her entire face which caused me to soften (she has Len's smile). "Thank you."

Megurine blushed and laughed embarrassedly. "I-I'm just glad I can be of help."

"But you truly are amazing." Rin insisted stubbornly, "Someday, you and the professor will court each other!" Blushing more than ever, Megurine stared at her reflection. Looking over, I saw Len stretching with the boys with Kei-sensei shouting instructions at them.

"Teto is probably slacking again…" Megurine sighed, "she hates swimming."

"I hate it too, but at least I care about my grades." Meiko grumbled.

Then I heard Akita's high-pitched voice shouting. "I told you I can't swim today!"

"But, Neru-sama!" Gumi protested, "Don't you know our goal sets are important?"

"Without points, Kei-sensei will fail you!" Sonika agreed, trying to usher her into the water. Scowling, Akita shoved their hands away and crossed her arms.

"But I'm on my period!" she protested (now who in the world would announce that?), "it's not like I can't just jump in without dirtying the pool!"

"Ew. Who in the world would announce that?" Meiko scoffed, shaking her head. Luka nodded. It was until Kasane came stomping up with a grin that betrayed kindness. Cheerfully, she put a tampon in Akita's hands before abruptly shoving her into the pool. Akita screamed as she splashed into the water. Gumi and Sonika paled in horror.

"T-Teto!" Luka gasped in shock as we, except Kasane, stepped away from the edge. Bubbles surfaced as an angry blonde sea monster rose from the water. Her yellow eyes snapped and gleamed angrily as a loud hissing noise escaped.

"BITCH!" she roared, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR?"

Teto scoffed, "The whole world doesn't need to know you're on your monthly bleeding, thank you very much."

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS? WHAT HAVE I EVER DONE TO YOU?"

Teto scowled at her and stomped her foot on the edge. "YOU MEAN WHAT _HAVEN'T_ YOU DONE?"

"MY HAIR'S RUINED NOW! I HATE YOU!"

"IT LOOKS BETTER THAN IT DID BEFORE! BLEEEH!" Screaming, Akita grabbed Kasane by her heel and pulled her in. They started kicking and fighting each other in the water.

"U-Um… shouldn't we stop them?" Megurine asked, flinching when her cousin scratched Akita's face.

"Meh," Meiko shrugged, "there's no way I'm getting into that." After ten minutes of screaming and bashing, they eventually stopped. Panting and covered in bruises, Akita and Kasane weakly crawled out of the water and glared hatefully at each other.

It was surprising those how long those two have been fighting. They've been rivals since second grade and no one knows why.

"T… Truce." Akita gasped, holding out her hand. Teto nodded tiredly and slapped it. Sonika glared at us while Gumi smiled apologetically as they helped Akita walk into the dressing room.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Rin asked as she touched Kasane's arm. Flinching, she pulled away and stared at her coldly. Rin blinked, surprised by her actions.

"I'm fine," she replied stiffly, "not that you care anyway." Huffing, she grabbed Luka and led her away.

Meiko groaned and turned to Rin, "Teto's in a really bad stage right now but it'll blow over." she assured, "She'll understand eventually." She'll understand eventually? What does she mean by that?

Then I blushed. Wait… why am I still hanging around them? I-It's not like they were my friends… Looking down at the floor, I swallowed. But then… all this time, I've been watching them. Truthfully, I wish I were in Rin's place. At least she has friends…

I then glanced at Meiko's back. A faint happiness filled me when I remembered all those good times we had together, when we helped each other.

She probably never thinks of me anymore.

_"Aren't you going to talk to him?" I turned to see 14-year-old Meiko grinning at me. I blushed and looked down at my middle school shoes. She totally caught me staring..._

_"I-I don't think I can..." I stammered, heating up at the thought. "I-I'll only end up embarassing myself."_

_Meiko groaned, "Miku..."_

_"Meiko, I can't!" I cried, "The last thing L-Len-kun needs is some g-gawdy girl mousing around him like a... stalker! A-And my braces are coming off next week and-" Meiko cut me off by placing both hands on my shoulders._

_"Why," she sighed, "can't you be more confident in yourself?" Flipping her brown hair, she looked at me. "Len's a nice kid. It's not like he'll bash on you or anything... at least if he did, I'd be the one doing the bashing." Sakura petals blew around._

_I bit my lip, pulling at my pigtails. "But..."_

_Meiko smiled caringly as the petals hit her cheek, "Just walk up to him and say 'hi'. That's all it takes." she said, "Chin up, Miku. You're pretty, kind, and smart. Those traits don't always come in a full package. But anyway, even if you're rejected... at least you have me!"_

_"M-Meiko!" I screamed as she tackled me into headlock. "Oh, c'mon! I just fixed my hair!" She laughed._

_"It looks better this way!"_

"Hello, Miku." I blinked to see Rin smiling at me. "How are you?" I was surprised.

"F-Fine." I managed to stutter out. "And you…?" Rin simply beamed and said likewise. U-Unexpected… aren't we supposed to be rivals? Meiko, of course, ignored me and looked the other way. "Well, um… why aren't you in your swimsuit?" I asked, trying to maintain the composed conversation.

Rin looked down embarrassedly. "Ah… that is, well, I do not own one. And I am not fully capable, that is to say, of skillfully befriending the water as to blend in with its cold environment and-"

"You can't swim." I smiled slightly as she halted and nodded embarrassedly. "You could've just said so. There's nothing to be embarrassed about." Rin smiled sheepishly at me. Weirdly enough, she seems really happy today. I've never seen her smile this much.

"KYAAAAAAAA~! GO LEN-KUN!"

"YOU CAN DO IT, MIKUO-SAMA!"

"Eh?" All of us turned to where the cold pool was. Numerous girls were along the pool, shouting and cheering for Len and Mikuo competing against each other. I blinked and went to take a closer look.

"What's going on here?" Meiko and Rin stood where Kaito-senpai was.

Kaito-senpai sighed, "Just when Hatsune and I finished our laps together, Shota-con grabbed him and demanded a 100M race." he rolled his eyes, "Since then, they've been battling it out."

Meiko frowned, "Len actually challenged him?" she sounded astonished. "Weird… he never used to be aggressive when we were little."

Kaito nodded in agreement, "I remember. He used to be a crybaby… sorta like Rin, right? I wonder what changed him." Rin wasn't paying attention though, she clutched her hands together and watched the competition. I watched too. If Mikuo wasn't giving everything he had, Len-kun certainly was. But it was clear Mikuo was winning so I cheered for Len.

"KYAAAA~! MIKUO-KUUUUN!" Apparently, Mikuo had won. His fans went to congratulate him as he stepped out of the water. Kei-sensei then shouted at them to get moving with their goal sets. They reluctantly did so.

Rin ran up to Mikuo with her eyes shining. "Mikuo-kun, you were so good!" she exclaimed. "Do you swim often?"

Mikuo laughed and placed his book under his wet arm, "Occasionally." He rubbed his shoulder, sighing. "Though I think I lacked speed today…"

Rin shook her head. "Not at all! In fact, I'm envious." she said, "After all… Mikuo-kun is so great at everything. I wish I could be like him." I observed them in silence, eyes narrowing. Somehow, this reminded me of how Mikuo and I act towards each other. Mikuo then gave her the book he had.

"This is my romance novel; it's called 'The Prisoner and Paper Plane' by Takashi Masaki. It's written in our language." Rin blinked at the cover. "If you join me for lunch, perhaps we can read it together."

Rin's eyes widened, "T-That sounds marvelous!" she then beamed, "Somehow… I feel like we've really known each other before." Smiling, Mikuo gently tilted her chin upwards so their eyes met. Rin blushed. She grasped at her chest, and her breathing quickened.

I inwardly gasped.

Don't tell me they're…

Why haven't I seen this before?

No one else was watching right now, so I was the only witness. I stared in mesmerized shock as their fingers intertwined together. They gazed at each other, solely focused on each other. Rin was the only one who seemed nervous. Mikuo smiled and leaned forward, his lips hovering against her ear.

"_Ich bin inspiriert,"_ he whispered, _"wenn ich an dich denke." _Rin shivered, and I blushed for her sake. Spying on them here made me feel bad but curious. It was like he had just confessed his love.

("Thinking of you, it inspires me.")

Then he lowered himself on one knee… and kissed her hand.

"Eh…" Rin breathed, apparently dazed. Then her face turned three shades redder.

Mikuo pulled away, smiling. "It would've been in my best interests to have courted you… Rin-chan." With that, he bowed and left. Rin stared after him, breathing heavily and clutching her chest.

"Mikuo-kun…" she quietly said, closing her eyes.

I suddenly realized how long I'd been holding my breath. It'd been so long, in fact, that I nearly collapsed. But what I had seen was so shocking! I couldn't believe Mikuo actually… this meant he loved her! He practically confessed on the spot!

But how did Rin feel?

Before I could confront her though, I saw an upset, dripping wet Len zooming towards her. I blinked. Could he have seen them too? As he was about to run a corner, his ankle twisted and he yelled in shocked pain. Rin turned and cried out in alarm as he crashed flat into the pool.

* * *

**Rin POV**

"Say, uh… Rin?"

I looked back and tilted my head. "Len?" Reddening, he tried adjusting his position on my back as I carried him to the office. I nearly thought the water had killed him. After all, he pulled a muscle.

"Aren't I kind of heavy?" he asked, shifting his eyes. "Carrying me like this… it's straining your back, right?"

"No," I answered, smiling. "It's no trouble at all." Then my eyes widened. "Am I embarrassing you like this?" I asked, concerned. While I was happy that I was helping Len, I couldn't help but wonder if our current situation made him uncomfortable.

"N-n-no! Not at all!" he frantically waved his hands before sighing, "Well… sort of." he admitted. "I'm grateful you're helping me, but having a girl carry a guy on piggyback…" he said, blushing, "Isn't it weird?"

Why is he so flustered? I couldn't find anything strange about carrying an injured person to safety.

"I don't think so." I answered as I shifted his body higher.

Len sighed, "Of course you'd say that." Timidly, he wrapped his arms around my neck so he wouldn't fall, and my body heated up at the contact of his bare skin. "You've been in a good mood lately." he commented quietly.

So he noticed!

Smiling, I nodded happily, "Yes. It's thanks to Ms. Haku." I explained as we climbed the stairs. "Every morning we talk and she listens to my problems. She's taught me that I should be cheerful even when things are difficult. A gentle warmth inflated within me just thinking of her. "She is so kind and understanding." I sighed dreamily. Somehow, her words are like magic; they give me courage.

I gratefully patted the bottle of pills poking out of my right pocket. Lately I've felt wonderful. That day when she comforted me of my painful memories was when she gave me medicine. Like she said, they've already taken effect. If I felt bad again, all I had to do was take as many pills needed to suppress the pain.

Len muttered something. He sounded sad… and somewhat angry too. I turned to him, concerned. "Are you hurting, Len?" Not answering, he looked away from me. I frowned but stared ahead.

We walked the rest of the way in silence. I couldn't help but wonder what happened that put us on cold terms. After all, the fact we were distant was what caused the past pain. After the nurse stretched his muscle back to normal, I finally burst.

"Tell me what's happened." I stood and spread my arms in front of Len, blocking his way to class.

"What's happened?" Len stopped in his tracks, "What are you talking about? Move, Rin, you're in the way…"

I stayed firm, "No. Not until you tell me."

Len looked confused, "Tell you what?"

"Must I explain?" I asked, frustrated. "You no longer talk with me, pat my head, walk with me, eat lunch with me…" Len averted his gaze. "And… you don't even call me 'princess' anymore! It feels like you're avoiding me…!" My voice gradually became softer as I struggled to look at him in the eye. "I thought we were friends!"

That was Len snapped his head in my direction, eyes wide with pure disbelief. "Friends…?" he repeated slowly. A strange expression overtook him. He abruptly grabbed my shoulders . "Just friends? You still think we're like that?" His eyes searched mine as if desperately looking for something. "How can you still be naive?" his voice nearly cracked. I didn't know what to do. "Even after what we've been through you're still so naïve!" His hands tightened around my shoulders.

_BA-THUMP…_

My breath hitched as something pummeled against my chest. Being absorbed in Len's heated gaze, it caused something inside me. My body grew hot, and my chest tightened as his face hovered near mine.

_BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP…_

_**BA-THUMP!**_

What is this feeling...?

"The way I think of you now... it's not the same anymore!" his voice quaked, "It's driving me crazy. Having you here makes me happy I'm alive. Holding your hand gives me strength, and seeing you makes my heart race! Even now!" I blushed hearing such words coming from Len. Trembling, he lowered his head into my shoulder and balanced himself on top of me. "So it's not like I want to avoid you!"

"Then…" I craned my head so I could face him, "why are you?"

For a moment, Len didn't answer. Then he spoke up. "Rin… remember when we kissed?" Pink fluttered across my cheeks. I nodded shyly. How could I forget? "Then tell me… would you kiss anyone else?"

"Why do you ask me this?" Kissing is for people who think each other as special, correct? Len is special to me so that is why I wanted us to kiss. But there were also other people special to me such as Meiko-nee, Luka, Gacha, Teto, Kaito, Nami…

Yet the thought of kissing them like I did with Len… it seemed unnatural.

"No, I would not." I answered.

For a moment, he looked relieved. Then he became serious again. "What about Mikuo?"

I blinked.

"Mikuo-kun…?"

"You think that he's so special! It's always 'Mikuo-kun this' or 'Mikuo-kun that'! You talk about him like he's so perfect, but he's just a skirt-chaser!" I gasped, insulted. Mikuo-kun is my friend! How can Len say such unkind things?

"Why are you speaking of Mikuo-kun so poorly? He has done nothing to you!"

Len reddened and moved closer, "He just... makes you look at him!" he then looked away. "...Aren't you satisfied with me?" I stopped and blinked in surprise at what he just said. He looked for something, _anything_ that looked distracting enough instead of meeting my gaze.

Satisfied...

Mi... kuo-kun?

**_Ba-thump..._**

My throat tightened as I thought of him.

Being around Mikuo-kun somehow felt nostalgic. It was as if we had surely met before. His gentleness calmed me, and I liked it when he was present. At first when I thought of kissing him, it made the thing inside me pound against my chest.

Then I remembered reality as I looked at Len. He was still waiting for my reply.

"I... I am satisfied." I stated calmly, "But as for kissing Mikuo-kun, I-" Len's face tensed in anger.

"You would!"

"What about Miku?" I asked, unnerved by all his shouting.

"Miku is the last person I want to talk about right now!"

Hurt washed over me. My mood started to crumble. "But you are always happy when you are around her! She is stronger than I am, kinder than I am, more beautiful than I am! And she remembers who she is!" I cried, struggling to push him away. "She can stand for herself without being burdensome, and she can talk to you about interesting things!" Tears prickled my eyes, "M-Maybe if I were at least a little like her, you could consider me a friend on her level!"

Len's eyes flared with anger. Breathing sharply, he gripped my wrists and forced my back against the wall. I whimpered as his warm breath tickled the nape of my neck.

"Let's get two things straight," he spoke quickly and quietly, "One, don't _ever_ change. And two, I don't want _us _to just be friends. I want us to be…!" his voice trailed. and looked like he was backtracking his unfinished statement. "To be..." His eyes widened with realization; red flooded his face. It surprised me when he suddenly reeled back, gasping shakily and trying to avoid looking at me in all ways possible.

To be…?

_**BA-THUMP!**_

"Len?" I tried reaching out for him, only to have him pull away.

"I... It's nothing." he told me, flushed more than ever. "S-sorry I yelled at you." He traveled around me, limping away as fast as he could. I wanted to call after him but didn't. Instead, I watched him retreat, torn in sadness.

Why… why won't he open up to me? Am I really that burdensome to talk to?

My throat suddenly closed up, causing me to gasp in pain. I slowly knelt down, clutching my chest. A ringing noise shrieked in my eardrums and head. Gasping, I shakily popped open Ms. Haku's medicine and swallowed a handful of pills before the pain subsided. Wiping my unshed tears, I sighed.

Even if things were rough… I must be cheerful.

I must keep doing my best.

* * *

**Len's POV**

Oh god.

Oh god oh god oh god.

How was that sentence supposed to end anyway? Oh friggin' holy saint of all...! JUST RUN BEFORE SHE CATCHES YOU! Okay, Len. Calm down. Don't panic. Don't panic.

I ran like hell, out of the building and met the biting cold. Even though I'd probably get in trouble later on, it didn't matter to me. All I cared about was getting far away. I ran about a quarter of a mile from the school, stopping at the town outskirts where I used to play.

"Gahhh... too close." I panted, bending over to catch my breath. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and relaxed.

Sitting by a gnarly sycamore tree, I cradled my school bag in my lap. The gray sky overlooked another snowy day. Everything was covered in a thick white blanket. I stared at a dead sunflower field. I felt weird stirrings being here but ignored them.

A vapory sigh escaped my mouth as I lightly banged my head against the tree trunk. Well... maybe I need to clear my head. Just as before that happened though, I suddenly thought about what those things I said to Rin.

Those things I said without thinking... every time I did those things... I always thought of Rin.

My eyes widened.

Wait a minute.

Don't tell me that I'm...

"_Len..."_

_"Len!"_

_"Good morning, Len."_

_"Hello, Len!"_

_"Hyaan!"_

_"I... Is it wrong if we kiss?"_

_"Leeeeen~!"_

_"Len," Rin hugged herself as she happily spun around, "I want to live here with you forever!"_

"I'm... in love with Rin?" Those words came out in a blurted whisper. Realization dropped on me like an anchor as I quickly sat up, eyes wide. I felt so flustered I nearly fainted right there. Mentally picturing Rin's face didn't exactly help either.

But wait.

...

Love?

With Rin?

... Is this for real?

"ACK!" I unintentionally screamed, flailing at the air. "N-No, no, no, no! That can't be right! I'm just a kid!" I'm barely fifteen! I can't be truly in love with someone at this age... can I?

_Peals of giggles broke the atmosphere, and I couldn't help but jump at the sight of the smiling girl who pointed and exclaimed at me. Her cheeks were apple-red, highlighting the depth of her stark white dress._

_"Wooww! You look just like me!"_

_My seven-year-old self blinked at this unexpected encounter. Clad in a pretty sundress and wide-brimmed hat, she also held a new-looking rabbit plush against her chest._

_"Um..." I started timidly, wondering where my mom was. I didn't like talking to girls. Most of them picked on me during naptime, and they liked putting weird, girly things in my hair. If this one was gonna be mean to me, I'm gonna run away!_

_"But anyway," she started in her high-pitched voice, cuddling her plush, "Mr. Hoppy says he likes your eyes. He says you can see the world in 'em. And I agree! Your eyes are really pretty!" she beamed. For some reason, I felt really happy. No one ever smiled at me like that. "I used to want green eyes like my family's... but seeing your eyes makes me glad mine are blue."_

_I stared at her, speechless. __Never in my life had someone said anything about my eyes, let alone a girl. I gave her a look between "you're kidding me" and "is that true"?_

_"R-Really...?" My mouth moved, so slowly that I thought a dead person was talking instead of myself._

_"But of course~!" she beamed, and I couldn't help but looking into her eyes. They looked like stars, so bright and full of vibrant life. Mommy once said the eyes are windows to a person's soul, but I never understood what she mean until now._

_I... I wanted to tell her thank you, but instead I blurted:_

_"Um, so, what's your name?"_

Staring at the bunny in my hands, I could barely remember that crazy past infatuation. But what about Miku for crying out loud? I still like her, don't I?

I groaned, feeling more and more frustrated.

"What's wrong with me...?"

Okay, I guess I have _some_ type of attraction to Rin. After all, she... despite her background, is a wonderful girl. In the beginning, I watched her progress from being distrustful to someone more caring and empathetic. She'll be beautiful when she's older.

"The thought of seeing her with another guy... it positively gets me seething with jealousy." I said to the bunny. As if it were human, its black button eyes twinkled with intent. And this feeling I have with Rin... it's similar to how I felt around Miku, only stronger. I closed my eyes and thought of Rin. "But I can't help it! I just don't get it! I'm such an idiot!"

The bunny stared back.

Face reddening and biting my lower lip, I lowered my head.

Okay... fine.

"It's not bad," I breathed out, "Maybe I do...like-"

**DONG!**

Blinking, I jolted and spun around. The school bell was ringing, announcing the next. I'll be late for math! Shoving the bunny back in my bag, I hurried to class. But not before I caught a glimpse of a girl_, _appearing six or seven, in the flower field.

_"Remember our pinky promise!"_

* * *

**Kaito's POV**

Despite my dense brain, it was obvious even to me that something wasn't right. As Bunny-chan, Shota, and I headed to the auditorium, it occurred to me how divorced the two were; both walked on either side of me and tried not to make eye contact. It was almost as if they were eschewing (dictionaries rule!) each other. Shota murmured something about the restroom as he left. We waited for him.

"So, rabbit girl," I began as Rin glanced at her shoes, "how's it going?"

"E-Everything is fine as always..." Rin answered softly.

I scoffed. "Girl, please. You're dropping enough hints for even me to guess something's up." Believe me, I'm so inattentive that I probably wouldn't've noticed if there were a fire beside me while I played Halo 2 (eating ice cream). She seemed to falter at that statement as her bow drooped like wilted petals. Softening, I added, "It ain't like I'd laugh if you told me."

Rin nervously rocked back and forth on her heels. "It concerns Len," Gah, I suddenly no longer care. I kept listening anyway. "We were a-arguing earlier," her voice grew even quieter, "But I think I might have said something that really hurt his feelings..."

I cocked a brow. "And what's that?"

Rin wrung her wrists uncertainly, "I asked him why we were avoiding each other if we were friends, and..." I rolled my eyes. Len had been ignoring her lately which went noticed by everyone but rebounds just like this. It's stupid, actually. He's been pushing her away but after he battles her suitor, he causes more trouble. Also, I found it weird that while he's always with Pigtails, he acts as if Rin's committing a taboo by being friends with Hatsune-kun.

What's this bullshit double standard?

"...He became upset, saying he didn't want us as 'just friends." Rin looked at me, biting her lip worriedly. "Afterwards, he ran away with a red face. And he seemed very troubled..." Pink grazed her cheeks. Biting her lip, she looked at me worriedly, "But what did he mean by that, Kaito? Is it really not acceptable for us to be friends?"

...Okay, even I'm not this dense.

However, this is Rin we're dealing with.

Grinning, I roughly ruffled her head and made her squeak. "No worries. I'll find a way to fix this." When Len came out, we continued walking towards our destination. Then I saw the snow. I grinned.

Time for an icebreaker.

I grabbed some snow and created a decent snowball before flinging it at Rin's head.

_**SPLAT!**_

She screamed and rapidly spun around. Ice chunks dripped from her hair as she stared at us wide-eyed. Gasping, I dramatically pointed an accusing finger at Len.

"_He_ did it!"

Rin blinked. Len gaped and held up both hands defensively. He started stammering in desperate denial, "No, no! I-I swear I didn't…!" Panicking, he shuffled away as Rin started towards him with a stony look on her face.

"You push me away, shout vague things before pushing me away again, and now you throw snow at me?" she asked, "Are you really this angry with me?" Reaching down, she grabbed a fistful of snow and started shaping it.

"No, wait, R-Rin- really Kaito threw it, not me!"

"At least explain!" Rin exclaimed, "Explain what I've said or done lately instead of being so childish!" And she sent the fairly large snowball soaring **-POW!-. **Groaning, Len wiped the snow from his eyes and scowled in annoyance.

"Childish? Excuse me, but you're the one who's always childish!" Angrily, he scooped a handful of snow and threw it at her, making her squeak. "Just because you can't remember anything doesn't mean I can't have space! You're always so clingy and you never understand a thing I say!" Rin looked shocked before puffing her cheeks out in frustration.

"S-so that is your reason for being cold to me!" she threw another snowball at him, which hit his shoulder.

Len's scowl grew in irritation. "That's not it!" he shouted and flung two snowballs, "You're smart, so figure it out!" Then those two bent down and started gathering snow as fast as they could. I stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

...If only I had a bag of chips right now.

These two must've gone under a lot of pent-up frustrations.

Somewhere along the way, they actually started having fun. While pelting large snowballs at each other, the blonds' faces were eaten up by grins and laughter.

The hell? Weren't they just fighting?

I'm totally confused.

Snow landed on Len's face and he cried out. Giggling, Rin fled behind a tree as a grinning Len chased her. "I'll get you for that!" The blonds pelted snowballs at each other, and they were practically in hysterics now. I watched them, more confused than ever. After a while, I just shrugged and grinned.

Oh well.

Gathering snowballs, I cheered while joining in.

"SNOWBALL FIGHT!"

Laughter and snow filled the air. The battle went on for nearly five minutes until we collapsed in a panting heap. I sprawled out on the ground and looked up at the sky. It was so chilly. Then, I glanced over to see Rin laying across Len's lap. She traced the crinkles of his uniform as he gazed softly at her back.

Aw, how precious.

The moment was ruined when something plopped out of Len's schoolbag. Rin noticed and picked it up.

"O-Oh...!" she gasped as she held a pink rabbit plush in her hands. She stared at it as if it were the cutest thing in the world (which really happens to be myself). "How cute!" she then cuddled against her chest.

Len blinked, "You like it?" Rin nodded happily. "Okay. You can have it." A look of shock crossed Rin's face.

"B-But, this is yours...!"

Len smiled slightly and got up. "True. It's something I've had for a long time, but I'm not the best when it comes to holding onto plushies. It's probably better off in your hands." his expression became serious, "Just take care of it for me. It was a special gift."

"I... I can have this?" A wide, happy smile alit Rin's face as she squealed and hugged the bunny. "Yes! Since it's from Len, I'll treasure it forever!" she then beamed at him proudly, "You really are kind!"

Len laughed, embarassed, "Oh, you're just saying that..." I was so entranced that I forgot to say something that would get Shota riled.

Seeing Rin smiling and holding that bunny... brought me back on that day.

* * *

_"Get lost, twerp."_

_Those were the first words I said to Len after meeting him. I was eight and he just turned seven. We were forced to attend dad's and Nami's wedding. Nami, being the radiant bride, happily gushed me, Meiko, and Len together to play together. The adults around us acted stupid; the women gossiped and laughed in their cocktail dresses while the men smoked cigars inside._

_"Kaito, don't be mean!" Mini Meiko exclaimed indignantly, "Can't he play with us?" __I had already hated him from the beginning. Len's eyes grew wide with fresh tears as his bottom lip quivered. He kept pulling at his tuxedo jacket._

_"No," I snapped, "C'mon, Meiko, let's go." Grabbing Meiko by the arm, I pulled her away and__ pushed through the adults. We marched through the reeds where our childhood tree stood, the one we always climbed and hung out._

_"K-Kaito, that hurts! Hey, hey, HEY! STOP!" Having lost patience, she slapped my head and glared. Ouch. "What's gotten into you? You've been such a jerk lately!"_

_I glared back, "A jerk? How?"_

_"Look what's happened to you! Lately, all you've been doing is frowning and yelling."_

_"That's 'cause my stupid old man and sister dragged me here and forced me to play with that stupid crybaby!"_

_"But you can't be mean to Len." Meiko huffed, crossing her arms over her red jumper. "He's your brother now!"_

_"No way! I HATE HIM!" I yelled. I kicked the tree violently, grunting in frustration. "Everything's his fault! It's 'cause of him my mom's gone! And now my dad wants me to call that old bat 'mother'! I hate her too!" I sank to the ground and felt my eyes burn__. _

_Mom... was gone because of him! And Kaiko didn't even care!_

_Meiko's face softened as she knelt down and hugged me. __"Kaito, I'm sorry." At first I tensed but gradually returned her hug and burying my head her lap. My hiccups were muffled by the skirts of her dress. "Hey, cheer up. Look," she pulled out a long material and proudly displayed it. "It's for you."_

_Swallowing, I fiercely wiped his eyes and took it. "You're giving this to me?"_

_Meiko rolled her eyes, "Duh, you dope." she then grinned, "You're always complaining about cold weather, so I made it." Blushing, she looked away and crossed her arms. "I know it's not perfect, but I worked really hard on it. So don't complain." She peeked to see my reaction._

_"Blue! My favorite color! Thanks, Mei-chan!" __I smiled goofily and wrapped Mei's scarf around my own neck. It felt warm and fuzzy. It had to be the coolest thing in the world; even better than Santa's thick hat. "I'll keep it forever!" I declared with a serious nod. She blushed and hit me._

_"Don't make reckless promises like that! You'll probably lose it later."_

_But I never lost it. There was never been a day I hadn't worn it (not even in summer)._

_I cheered up after that. Throughout the wedding, we played hide-and-seek and tag. I ignored Len completely and complained when Meiko dragged me to try waltzing. We ended up laughing and stepping on each other's feet. That one time she managed to catch Nami's flower bouquet is when she told me something weird._

_"Someday, Kaito," she said as we drank our root beer floats, "I'm gonna marry someone who'll cook for me!" I rose my brow at her. Weren't girls the ones who cooked when it came to marriage?_

_"Good luck with that."_

_"IDIOT!" she cried, slapping my head. "You're supposed to be anxious! What if I end up ignoring you 'cause the guy's food is cooler?"_

_"You wouldn't dare." I stated though hoping what she said wouldn't come true._

_"I dare." Meiko grinned._

_I made a face at her, "Bleeeeh, then I'll learn how to cook so you'll never ignore me!"_

_Meiko's face lit up at that statement. __"Okay~!" __After another game of Marco Polo, everyone gathered to take photos. Meiko came running up to me, sounding winded. _

_"Kaiko says to find Len. We need him for the picture." I was about to protest until she pushed me out of the lobby, "No buts! Find him or you'll get us both in trouble!" We split up to look for him. I searched under tables, near the veranda, and even on the patio._

_No Len._

_"Stupid. Where'd he go?" I mumbled and headed up a stone path surrounded by trees. That was when I saw him. He stood on top of a hill under a gnarly tree. Sniffles escaped him. He looked lonely, bouncing that soccer ball with a sad expression on his face. Seeing him so miserable almost made me feel bad for mistreating him earlier... but I still needed someone to blame._

_Just as I was about to haul him back, he suddenly exclaimed as the ball rolled down the other side of the hill. He chased after it. I groaned inwardly. Ugh... great. I ran up the hill to follow him. _

_Len had only moved half-way down as he stood on the hillside. It was surprising he didn't still didn't notice me. But having completely forgotten his ball, he stared directly ahead with a startled look on his face. Curious and not wanting to spoil the scene, I hid behind the tree and followed his gaze._

_There, standing at the bottom of the hill and in a massive flower field, was a little blonde girl with a bunny in her arms._

"Your line, Kaito?"

"Huh?"

"I said it's your line."

I blinked, being brought back to reality. Meiko sat in front of me with her legs crossed. I looked around, seeing Seija students practicing for the play. I then spotted Bunny-chan across the room with other girls. She was smiling and hugging the bunny Len gave her as she confidently recited her lines.

The image of the little blonde girl flashed before my eyes.

"Kaito!" My head snapped to Meiko who looked at me with a weird look on her face. "What's with you? Are you feeling alright today?"

"Y-Yeah..." I mumbled, rubbing my head. "Just remembered something weird." I wonder why looking at Rin carrying that bunny reminded me what happened at Dad's wedding. It weirded me out.

Meiko groaned and banged her head against the seat. "Well, I'm pretty peeved. No one's giving me a break these days. Especially not Teto." I rose a brow.

"Is Kasane giving you a hard time?"

"Yeah... bad news; I think Rin's secret is getting out." Meiko murmured in my ear, trying not to let others hear us. "Teto and Luka invited me over to their house to watch this 'movie'. It turns out it was really a recording of the Ferris wheel fiasco with Rin as the VOCALOID. Teto and Luka have already seen it." I reeled back with my eyes wide.

I put aside my script and faced her intently. "Okay, so what'd you say?"

"Well... after they showed me, I told them... it was complicated."

"You told them everything?"

"No!" Meiko exclaimed. "Well... sorta," she admitted, "Let's just say they're aware of the fact that Rin isn't exactly... ordinary." Obviously. I inwardly snorted. "But that's pretty much it- don't worry," she stopped me from talking, "I didn't mention anything about VOCALOID or your Dad. They're still on my ass though."

"You're a lifesaver, Mei-chan." I breathed in relief before eying her seriously, "But we gotta be careful. Before you know it, the whole school might find out."

Mei-chan shuddered. "Imagine if it were the world."

"Then we'd be screwed in all sorts of positions." I chuckled, trying to add humor.

Meiko scoffed but smiled, "Right. You think you're soooo cute."

I grinned.

"Actually, I think I'm adorable."

"Ha! That's a good one." We practiced our lines after that. We got better, it seemed. I still didn't like the idea of having to be a gay prince, but at least it wasn't too bad anymore. After about an hour of reciting lines from Act 5, I noticed how tired Meiko looked. And being tired normally puts her in a grumpy mood.

...Heh.

I have to do it.

Tickle her, that is. So I reached over and starting tickling her like crazy (she can't stand it if you touch her sides). It's kind of cute knowing how squeamish she gets. Naturally, she briefly screamed with laughter before angrily stomping my face with her boot.

"You asshole! What the hell?" she shouted, her cheeks were still stained red. I shrugged and rubbed my now swollen cheek.

"Well, you're awake."

"ARGH!" Meiko's cheeks grew red. "G-GO TO HELL!" She stomped away. I grinned. It's true Meiko gets pretty mad easily. But her temper quickly fades after it avenges itself. Besides, I caught that smile on her face before she left.

She really is a girl after all.

"It's always wonderful to see hardworking seniors setting an example." Ms. Haku sat down beside me. "Hopefully the underclassmen will grow up to be like you." I grinned.

"Sup, Mrs. Haku?"

"Just trying to finish this." In her hands was a nearly done summer sweater she was knitting.

I blinked. "Meiko used to knit." I said before adding, "But I kept telling her it was a dumb hobby. Knitting is for old birds."

Haku chuckled. "I hope you're not putting me in that category." Rin then plopped down beside us, beaming. I grinned and tussled her hair.

"You look like you're having a blast."

"Ms. Haku was kind enough to modify my role so lines would be easier to say." Rin smiled, hugging her bunny. "Mikuo-kun helped as well! We're reading his favorite book so I can understand things better."

"Glad you're feeling better." I said, grinning. "Have you heard from your friend? Gacha or whoever?"

Rin's smile faded slightly, "No..." she quickly turned to Ms. Haku. "Your medicine helped me very much. Thank you." Haku returned her smile.

"Anytime. Just call me if you need some more." Then she noticed her bunny, "Oh? What a cute plush."

Rin's face lit up having her bunny mentioned. "Yes! Len gave me this!" she stated proudly and cuddled it. "I am... unsure of how he feels right now, but it's like Ms. Haku said: I must stay cheerful. I'll take care of this precious item." Once again, seeing Rin hold that thing gave me a headache.

Ms. Haku smiled, "Wonderful." Bowing, Rin excused herself. The silvery woman turned to me. "How's your day?"

I shrugged, "Okay for the most part."

"Oh." she nodded. "May I ask you something, Kaito-kun?" I rose a brow but nodded. "Do you... have a mother?" I was slightly confused as to what brought this on? Nonetheless, I shrugged.

"Nami's my stepmother. My dad married her after my mom disappeared."

"I take it that's what he told you?"

"Yeah," I sighed, glancing at the wall, "Mom, apparently, didn't love us anymore and just left one day. But it's probably my old man's fault. He only cares about himself." Bitterness tanged my words. "Now... I can't even remember what my mom's face looked like. It's been so long since I've seen her."

I then furrowed my brows in thought. It just occurred to me... why was I telling her this anyway? It had nothing to do with her.

Oh well.

Ms. Haku's smile faded as she looked down at her lap, whispering, "Do you remember something about her? Anything at all?"

"Well..." I trailed, "I remember her hands. They always felt cold but gentle. I remember how I always thought all women should have hands like hers." I then shrugged slightly, "But she probably doesn't think of me anymore. Wherever she is." Ms. Haku looked up with a smile in her eyes. Softly, she reached out and touched my chin. I didn't pull away. Nostalgia hit me.

Her hands... are so cold.

But gentle.

"A mother is always thinking of her child."

* * *

**General POV**

Sitting in the hospital bed, Kiyoteru ignored the nurse complaining about his uneaten jello. The agent had been there for days which was hell for him. He had cracked six ribs, twisted his spine, and broke a leg all in one day. She had left it there for him to eat, not to spoil! He, however, was more interested in what he had in his hands; a letter scrawled with crayon all over the stationary.

**'Hi Daddy,**

**How are you? Is your leg better yet? Oh, and are you eating very healthy? Like your brussel sprouts and stuff? Yup, Daddy, I know they're gross but you gotta eat them 'cause they give you big muscles. And you need them so you can chase down bad guys again!**

Kiyoteru chuckled. "Yuki..."

**Guess what? My teacher kept comenting on my apple painting. She said itz allering to the eye and bewitzching and super othentic-looking and a buncha other words I don't get. But I think she means that she really liked it. She also wondered why the apple was black instead of red, green, or yellow. Well, I told her I painted it that way because black is your favorite color.**

"Hiyama-san, you won't get better if you don't eat!"

Kiyoteru sighed, "Yes, yes..." he kept reading anyway.

**A couple days ago, I made a new friend! He's very cute! I found him sleeping in a well. Mama and I had to rescue him and bring him back to our house. Hee hee! He's kind of strange, Daddy. He talks and acts like he's grown up. Mama likes him though. She says he's very gentlemanly. His name... eh, it's too hard to say and he's not here right now to help me spell it.**

"Hiyama-san!"

"Yes, yes..."

**I keep asking about himself, but he won't tell me anything. I'm always scolding him that secrets don't make friends. But y****esterday, we baked a cake. After I convinced him into trying it, he ended up eating the entire thing! It was like he never ate before! Well, I was kind of mad 'cuz I wanted some too, so we baked cupcakes. He shared that time.**

**I know what he likes now: dinosaurz and sweets (cakes mainly).**

**Anyway, he's been staying with us since his parents aren't here. Mama's worried if they'll ever come back. Don't tell her, but I hope they never do! That way, he and I can live together forever!**

**I'm also really excited for my next concert next month! It's gonna be near your workplace! And if you come, you'll be able to meet my friend. So please come!**

**Get well soon!**

**Love, Yuki**

"HIYAMA-SAN!"

"Ugh, leave him be. Tough guys don't eat jello." An agitated Itsu stood in the doorway with her arm in a sling. The nurse left in a huff. "Honestly, such people nowadays..."

Kiyoteru chuckled. "Are you feeling better, Itsu-chan?"

Itsu snorted. "Compared to your state, just peachy." She sat in a chair beside him. "Oh? A letter from your daughter?" The dark-haired man nodded with a smile. "Always so thoughtful, ain't she." the woman popped her neck. "Anyway, we're being released in a few weeks."

"Hm." Kiyoteru nodded solemnly. "How do our troops fare?"

"Terrible." she replied bluntly. "Some of them are still in shock; they have nightmares about what happened." Kiyoteru nodded. "Hiyama," Itsu sighed and crossed her legs, "why don't you give it a rest? Yuki-chan wouldn't be happy knowing her Daddy keeps throwing his life at the line."

"This case is serious, Itsu-chan." Kiyoteru spoke calmly and deliberately, "Just five days ago, we stumbled across our country's greatest threat yet; we need to get rid of that Takashi girl."

"It's not that easy," she argued, "The government is shielding her and her family, God knows why. We can't just barge right in and arrest them."

"Can't we?"

"...You crazy man," she stated with a blank expression on her face, "You have no idea what we're up against." Kiyoteru laughed gravely, laying back on his aching back.

"I'm not about to risk my daughter's life for whatever happens next. Believe me, Itsu-chan; if Project Rin isn't terminated soon, our country- no, the entire continent will be in a uproar." Itsu stared at him before sighing and rubbing her scalp.

"Alright. Alright." Blinking wearily in defeat, she looked at him. "You've told me a lot of this fucked-up shit. But is there anything else you want to throw at me?"

Kiyoteru gazed out the window, "As a child, Takashi Rin would always visit her grandfather before moving to Germany. She really loved it here in Japan."

"Did she really?"

"Yes," he smiled grimly. "After all... this _is_ where she died."

* * *

**A/N:** My god these people are moody. This hectic drama practically drives me up the wall… it's terrible. XD Yes, guys. Have you guessed about Gacha's fate? And yaaaaay~ Yuki has appeared~. Too bad it's at such a tense moment. lol.

BTW, guys. I DON'T hate Miku. That's all I'm gonna say.

**Skye Wolfe: **Format and flashbacks are amazing, aren't they? **AliasStars**: Gosh, thanks! I really try to be simple in my writing. **iPolaris: **Oh...mygod. Your review made my day! Thanks for all those comments! I really, really appreciate this~! It's pretty relieving knowing that the PV adults are receiving love from you. They love Pol-chan, too! And don't you dare quit your story! I'm still rootin' for you~! **Clavemien Nigram Rosa: **Uwaah, nooo! D: Not trying to do that here! I'm a RinxLen fan forever! However, romance isn't the clear option for their relationship. I'm still glad you like the pairing though... and Teto is awesome! **Bluebunnyninja: **The idea was nice, but leave it to me to decide plots, 'kay? :3 Don't hate on Miku either! **Cecila Loreheart:** Before you say ANYTHING about Yuki's letter, think rationally! I mean, I thought since Yuki's young, her grammar technique wouldn't be the best. But yah... I'm glad you really liked the last chapter. Too bad you're gonna end up bashing me on this one lol. jk jk. Do what you want. **Blue Neonlightshow**: Wow. So you really think so? haha... I personally believe my story is nuts. Welll... although children do have photographic memories, it's also very possible to have them supressed (like if they're going through TRAUMA or something *wink wink*). Oh, a LukaxGakupo fan? Niiiice. I think we'll be friends. Giant fights suck, don't they... nah. **xXAnime ChrisseXx: **I really appreciate your ideas, but you really don't need to exert yourself in doing so. But it's gladdening to see such a passionate reader involved! And thank you for your kind, long review. **Demi-d-Chookies:** Eh heh... I actually don't think I'll be updating that story anytime soon. I do want to finish this one first. **Miko A. Kimura:** SENSEI *BOWS*! adslfjadlsjkfasdla thank you for taking the time to read! I really appreciate your help and feedback... *tears up*. I think I'll go... cry now. But thanks for your kind comments and feedback! I know the story is pretty slow at times, but it'll go faster, I promise! BTW... only the worst characters die ;). **Shadow Fox777:** AMV GIRL WHERE'S IT? *cries* Yup~ Yuki is here and Gacha-kun is still on. **himeka1010: *sighs* **i'm pretty bummed Enilec hasn't been emailing me lately. I think she quit. But I don't actually mind since you can do whatever you want, thnx. **TheShhTiger: **Ur welcome!** ZXCVBNMEM:** I KNOW! I'm AMAZING TOO! lol. **WhitexxxCarbonara: **Thank you! *blushes*

_Next time on Project: VOCALOID... __Chapter 21 - **Last Night, Good Night**_

_Es lebe der Geschichte!_


	21. Last Night, Good Night

**A/N: Everytime I update, tell yourself, "This was worth the wait." XD T**his chapter is going to be pretty long. I hope it reaches your guys' satisfaction. Anyway, I do think Rin isn't getting unbearably angst-y, it just fits her~. After all, she is my favorite Vocaloid. 'Course, it's not like I'm playing unfair. I'm just creating the characters the way I see them in my mind.

And murrr... swim season is over! I've been watching my favorite Korean drama, 'Winter Sonata'. It's so sad... but Bae Yong is sooo cute! *^_^* I now have a cute Korean guy fetish.

**Bold**: Stands for singing, VOCALOID mode, and so on.

_Italics: _Stands for German, specific words, insane screaming, trancelike dreams/flashbacks, etc.

* * *

**General POV**

Screams broke through as a bullet train, running at 250 miles/hour, lurched past the central station. Civilians threw themselves out of the way, gaping at the white blur. But they had no idea what terror lay inside. Hatsune Miku, one of the crowd, stared after it. Something wasn't right...

Fuchsia hair whipped against the windows as an android girl moved down the aisle, yelling, "Everyone, brace yourselves!" The frightened passengers, without thinking, latched themselves against seats and ceiling bars. The train swayed and shook furiously, and it continued accelerating. Throwing her head out the window, Iroha saw the passing railing burn with hot yellow sparks. Black blurs rushed past her field of vision. She grimaced.

"TONIO, HOW'RE YOU HANDLING?"

The genius' head popped from the front seat. He looked frustrated and sweaty. "Not well!" he yelled, "The controls are destroyed!" Cursing, the girl ran to Lola.

"Please tell me you know which cart the kids are on," she pleaded, "They can't get hurt!" The woman shook her head sadly. Iroha tensed in frustration, groaning. Dell and Gakupo wouldn't be able to send on time. She had a feeling she knew who set the train rolling at death's speed but had no proof. And anyway, was _he_ the one commanding Crypton grunts? She shook her head and glided into the conductor's room, eyes narrowed. She only hoped Project Rin could self-sustain herself…

In the third cart, seven teenagers were crammed amongst panicking passengers. A man protectively clutched his wife and children against him. Everyone screamed and pushed each other on the way to the doors. One of the teenagers was a blond (a cosplayer?) with his face contorted in concentration as he tried reaching over people's heads to his number one person.

"Rin!" he cried as the floor rattled angrily. Turning, the girl spotted him with her eyes wide. He had to press himself against an elderly woman for them to be at least seven inches within reach. Reaching her was all that mattered. Rin, grunting in effort, tried to reach him too. As everyone roared in terror, two silent and shaky hands desperately reached for each other. If they could be together, both teens thought, then they could definitely get through this!

Just as their fingertips _brushed_, everyone screamed and divided, ripping them apart as a figure, surrounded by the sun's glares, shot out of nowhere and grabbed Rin. Hail rained down as a cold, ferocious gale swirled. Gasping, Rin felt herself slammed against the train's battered roof. Her body slid around as she struggled to stay on.

A knife was at her throat as a cold, sultry voice spoke.

"Hello, sister."

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_Project: VOCALOID_

Chapter 21

_**Last Night, Good Night**_

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* * *

**27 hours earlier…**

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**Teto's POV**

"FREEDOM!" I screamed and bolted out the classroom door. Clutching my power snacks, I raced towards the exit. Luka panted behind me.

"Teto, wait up!"

"Nope! No way! Last one home is a rotten-OOF!" I collided with another person and landed on my butt. "Whoops. Sorry about that." Glancing up, I saw Ted-kun staring down at me. He looks so delicious right now, I swear, raising his perfectly arched brow at me in a questionable manner. Something tingled way down in my lower abdomen. I blushed with anticipation.

_Hotness._

"Kasane," he mumbled, "what are you doing?" My eyes shot open. I immediately stood up and bowed apologetically. Being the idiot I am, I stuttered and gawked around like a chicken. My voice came out in stammers. My heart pounded against my chest, and my face flooded with red. I swear I was about to hyperventilate any moment now.

Then I saw the huge brown stain on his white tee. I looked at my arms.

"AAGH SHIT! I am _so _sorry!" Horrified, I pathetically tried wiping it off with my sleeve, inwardly crying. I just spilled bread sauce all over his shirt! Not to mention it's crinkled! "God, I'm such a klutz! I didn't mean for this to happen! Honest!" I wailed, fishing out money from my pocket. "But never mind… how much is dry cleaners?"

"Don't worry about it."

"But-"

"It's fine," Ted said, looking bored, "I needed a new one anyway." Then his gaze scanned me interestedly. "You're different." I blinked. Different?

"How so?"

Ted shifted his gaze sideways. "You don't go on about weird things, and I don't hear you laugh as much." he looked at me, "it's too weird." It took me several moments to connect everything together. I haven't been my amazing self lately; that was true. But it was because of what Meiko said about Rin. I instead shrugged.

"I know I'm a pest," I laughed, slapping his back. "People tell me that all the time. It's time for a break."

Ted stared at me. "I don't remember you letting people influence the way you act."

"Yeah, well… shouldn't I care?" I asked, suddenly finding my hand very interesting.

"It's up to you," he replied, "but just so you know, I never saw you as an nuisance." Something in his voice sounded soft, gentle even. Looking up, he smoothly but quickly strolled away.

Whoa.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Ted-kun doesn't think I'm annoying?

Could that mean that he possibly likes me? Me? As in Kasane Teto extraordinaire who pulls all-nighters playing on Xbox 360 and PC dating games? Not to mention that I happen to have my own website for fan-made yaoi doujinshis?

Sexy man, Kasane Ted, has the friggin' hots for _me_?

Sometimes, there are moments too great to express words. This is one of them. However, I can tell you I was floating in heaven.

Then Luka had to pop my bubble.

"Teto, we can't go home yet. We still have rehearsal," she reminded me, "Everyone needs to be there." I groaned and crossed my arms.

"Do we have to?"

"Yes," Luka replied, "My part isn't as important as yours. As the narrator, you should be committed."

"I only work hard at the things that are really important." I snorted as we went to the auditorium.

Luka smiled, "It's just like you to be so laid-back," she then straightened her skirt. "I think everything is going well. Ms. Haku and Mikuo-kun are so driven to make this play happen and so is everyone. The script is very well-written, I think."

"Better than Shakespeare." I agreed. I swear that guy writes too many vague acts. Not only do the characters speak in old language all the time, but it totally bores me. The 'Story of Evil' script book was actually interesting though, especially the ending; it made me cry.

"Yeah... so," Luka cleared her throat, "I was thinking of throwing a Friday slumber party tonight. Let's invite a small group."

"Slumber party? Really, Luka?" I looked at her like she grew two heads. "Don't you think we're too old for that?"

"Of course not," she replied indignantly, "I just thought we could have a little fun! Geez, Teto. Are you calling me childish?"

I shook my head defensively, "Hey, I wasn't. No need to be so sensitive." Luka went on about things we could do. Like watching horror movies, playing truth or dare, summoning supernatural things for fun... I yawned. Honestly, I wasn't even paying attention. I wonder what tomorrow's weather is...

"...oh yes, I'm also inviting Rin."

"That's fi-_what_," I turned to her, gaping, "... did you just say?" Luka shuffled nervously.

"Well, you remember what Meiko said the other day? I have to know more."

_"She's not like us. It's not like she can help being the way she is," Meiko said seriously. She was at the door, ready to walk out. "In fact... she's something bigger than you two can ever imagine."_

Truthfully, what Meiko said had been bothering me too. What the hell had she meant by that?

I rubbed my temples, grimacing, "You don't just invite someone who tried to kill you, over our house! What if she does it again?"

Luka crossed her arms, "Rin-san is not like that. She already apologized. In tears, I might add."

I scowled, arguing, "So what? She's probably psychotic or mentally disarranged or... gaah! Why does everything have to be about her?" I practically kicked the doors open as we seated ourselves to practice. "Dammit, Luka-face! I was in such a great mood too!"

"Rin-san is not like that." Luka stated. I rose a brow.

"And how're you so sure?"

"I just am." Just then, Miku sat beside us, smiling politely. "Oh! Miku-chan."

"Hello." she greeted then noticed my sullen expression. "Am I in the middle of something?"

"Not at all. We were just chatting about silly stuff," Luka replied before pausing, "Say, are you busy tonight?"

Miku blinked. "Um... no, why?"

"Would you like to come to our slumber party? You may bring whatever's necessary." Luka explained, smoothing out the crinkles of her skirt. Miku tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Who else is going?"

"Well, I already invited Meiko and a few others... it won't be a huge party though."

Miku seemed to consider this before asking slowly, "And Rin... is she going, too?"

Luka smiled and shrugged, "I plan on asking her."

Miku nodded as if she understood. For some reason, she looked tense. Did her cat die or something? Sighing, she nodded. "Sure. I'd love to come." Luka's eyes widened in sincere excitement.

"Wonderful! Here's the address..." I frowned. Inviting Miku didn't sound like a hot idea. It's not like I have a beef with her; she's pretty nice. But I wasn't sure how Meiko would react. As far as Luka and I knew, those two act pretty stiff around each other. Having both attend and see each other, was it really okay?

I mean, Mommy will kill me if she finds blood on the carpet.

I looked over to Meiko to see her boldly announcing her lines in the one of the acts where she, as Germaine, inspires the Yellow civilians to revolt against the princess. Kaito, aka "Kyle", stood beside her, looking bored as ever.

"Imagine our country no longer ruled by tyrannical monarchies, but by our own hands. No longer will nobles and clergymen step on our backs. We can all be of equal status! We don't need to be manipulated by riches or corrupted church orders!" Meiko exclaimed and pretended to sharpen her paper mache sword, "Down with the princess!"

The extras cheered and roared, raising pitchforks and torches made from duct tape.

"Down with the monarchy!"

"Down with the church!"

"The princess must die!"

"And... cut!" Momoko exclaimed, clapping.

Luka suddenly got up to approach Rin and Piko in the corner. I reluctantly followed.

"So, um... there's something I wanted to ask you, Rin-chan," Piko said nervously, twiddling his thumbs and blushing like crazy. "A... Are you busy this Sat-"

"Rin-san, hello." Luka cheerily greeted, unaware of what she was interrupting.

Rin beamed. "Hello, Luka," Her eyes flickered to briefly before she smiled uncomfortably. "May I help you?"

Luka grinned, "Would you like to spend the night at our house? Teto and I, we're having a sleepover."

"Sleepover?" Rin repeated slowly, furrowing her eyes in slight bewilderment.

"A sleepover is when friends get together for the night doing fun things. Like talking, painting nails, doing hair..." she laughed slightly, "it's really fun."

"How fascinating!" Rin's eyes widened slightly as she cuddled her plush closer, "A-and you are inviting me? Oh..." she looked down, blushing, "Do I truly deserve such an honor?" her voice came muffled through the bunny's thick fur.

"Of course. You're our friend after all."

That statement lit up Rin's entire face. She looked so precious I almost forgot why I was angry at her."T-Then I accept!" She stood up and pulled out her phone, "Allow me to ask Nami!" Piko watched her leave before smiling.

"Rin-chan is always so cute."

"Mm." Luka nodded.

"She's been really happy lately. It makes me glad." Piko said, fixing his shoulder-length hair. "And that bunny she's been carrying around only adds to her glow." He grinned, blushing. "Not many girls have the nerve to show their treasured belongings like that."

"You say such kind things, Piko-kun." Luka told him, nodding.

"Well... I was a little concerned for her," he explained, "Everyone in our grade treats her coldly, even her own brother. It bothers her... I can tell." His expression drooped. "So, it's not like I want her to be lonely."

Lonely…

I pictured Rin sitting alone at lunch.

"Nami permits me." Rin announced cheerily. She sat down and played with her plushie's ears. "I first need to pack before coming."

"Okay." Luka then pinched the bunny's cheeks, goggling over it. "It's so cute! Where did you get this?"

Rin lowered her eyes and blushed lightly. Though anyone could see how happy she looked, "Len gave him to me. Thank you."

"Him?" Piko asked, raising a brow.

"Yes," she nodded while smiling, "_Herr* Hoppy_, which is his name, is a male." Hair framed around her apple cheeks as she trembled slightly in happiness. "And… I am going to my best to care for it because it belonged to Len; his precious item." she stated softly, "I… I want to be able to do that for him."

"Aw…" Luka giggled, "He really means that much to you?" A smile lit up Rin's entire face as she nodded. For a second, I thought a gloomy expression overlooked Piko. But when I looked again, it was gone. Instead, he looked nervous.

"Uh... Rin-chan? Tei is looking over here again." Three of us turned to see the crazy psycho staring at us from across the set. Needless to say, the weird, unreadable expression on her face spooked us.

"Ignore her," I spoke in the best casual tone possible. "She probably just wants attention." But I knew that wasn't it; she's obviously jealous overhearing another girl getting a gift from her precious crush, even if it was for his sibling. Laughing uneasily, we tried to forget Tei. I went outside to take a breather.

I walked out onto the roof's platform, shivering as a the snowy wind blew. I forgot how could it'd be this time of year. Christmas was coming fast. Sighing, I crossed my arms behind my head.

But anyway, how can Luka act like nothing's happened? How can she forgive Rin so easily? If I were in her shoes, I'd be furious!

And Meiko... she knows something but won't spill. Lately I've been feeling like there's always tension. Tension, tension, and more tension! It's like we're all in morbid danger.

"Ugh," I clutched my curly pigtails in frustration, crinkling my nose. "Look at me, I'm being so paranoid..." The snow continued to fall; it rained over the town like a heavy white blanket. Sighing again, I leaned over the rail and gazed out toward Tokyo's blazing lights.

Sigh.

What's gonna happen tonight?

"... telling you, Haku! Stop right now!" My ears perked up to the sound of an angry voice. I turned my head.

"Leave me be! I won't listen to you!" It sounded like a man and woman arguing. Rapid footsteps echoed on the stairwell. They were heading up here! Gasping, I ran and hid myself in the wall's shadows. The door slammed open.

"Do you realize you're the last person Dell wants to see?" Peeking from behind the door, I saw professor Gakupo speaking to our play director's back, who turned and faced him.

"I could care less," she sneered, "He doesn't interest me." Her hands placed themselves across her chest as she smirked, "Seven years. And here I was expecting a warm reunion... you've grown quite a bit, Gakupo."

"While you haven't changed at all," he coldly responded. "I'll tell you though. You have no right to be here."

"How cold," Haku gasped, offended. "Imagine if Miriam were here right now; she wouldn't approve of your manners." she clucked her tongue in disapproval.

"Don't try to manipulate me." Gakupo answered stiffly.

"Now he's throwing accusations." The woman shook her head. "I'm only here to see my son."

Gakupo moved forward, frowning, "You expect me to believe that?"

"Shouldn't you?" Director Haku frowned as well, "It's been so long since I've seen him."

"No. You're here because of Leon."

I did my best to hold my breath, not wanting to them to notice me. I've never seen either of them so riled up; especially professor Gakupo. What was it that made them talk so heatedly?

Director Haku grinned.

"Precisely."

I saw a deep scowl line the professor's face as he suddenly moved forward. In a split second, a sharp 'twing!' pierced the air like ringing metal. Shining silver captured my eyes as I realized it was a katana*. Gripping it tightly, the seemingly composed professor pointed it directly at Haku. I watched, shocked beyond action.

"I don't want to kill you," Gakupo stated, "but I won't hesitate." At first, no one spoke. Then, a sultry giggle escaped from the director.

"Oh, really?" she was clearly amused, "Tut, tut. You're being a child. Surely the Gakupo I know wouldn't threaten a friend of his...," she paused, "unless he's doing it for self-gain."

Professor eyed her warily, "What are you possibly implying?"

Haku batted her eyelashes cattily as she spoke, "You're thinking I'll somehow go after that pretty flower of yours... hm, Megurine, is it?"

Gakupo flinched.

"Aha~ so I'm correct," Red eyes shone deviously. "Now that I think about it, the idea doesn't sound half bad. I could chain her to a chair and experiment so many things..."

"I could stick needles deep into her fair skin and wonder how far each would go until she starts screaming," she giggled, "or maybe we could see how well she handles having her nails ripped out, one by one..." I trembled with anger. Who did this bitch think she was, talking about torturing my cousin in the sickest ways?

"E-Enough."

Haku only laughed, her expression appeared livid. "Perhaps I could have her beaten, starved..." her eyes flashed, "... given _attention_ by Crypton's sleaziest employees-"

"SHUT UP!" Professor roared with his face twisted into a enraged, feral expression. His body shook with rage. "You," he began in a voice barely concealed with venom, "will _never_ lay a hand on Luka!" Swinging his katana, he struck at Haku.

Smiling viciously, the woman moved away and dodged his strikes. "Then give me what's mine!" Pulling a gun from beneath her skirt, she aimed and shot. My hands flew to my mouth in surprise as the professor moved his head away just in time. "Come, slice me up," she taunted with a sneer, "It'll be the last thing you'll do!"

Circling each other, their eyes met with intensity. Haku grinned and panted, licking the cut on her finger. I sat there, too scared to move. How am I going to get out of here? The professor needs help!

Snow rained around them. It seemed unfitting to have peaceful weather in this heatful battle. And yet, it felt so cold.

The teachers kept fighting each other. Although Haku had a great chance of shooting the professor at a close range, he somehow managed to evade her. Charging, he yelled and brought his blade down.

_**Shing!**_

Sword met gun. Haku successfully blocked his blow.

"You'll never win," she laughed as her revolver trembled against the weight of the sword's steel. "You're a hundred too early to beat me."

"...Maybe."

What?

Even Haku looked surprised. "Eh?"

Gakupo, flushed and panting, grinned. "Maybe y-you're right, and maybe you're wrong..." he pushed against her, "but I certainly won't quit." The rattling of metal was heard, "You can insult me, you can beat me, you can humilate me in the worst ways possible... but you can never get away with threatening to harm my most precious person." I stood to my feet, about ready to help him until the door burst open, revealing the school's newest prefects.

"Fighting on school grounds is prohibited!" Nekomura shouted, pushing them apart. She glared at them, annoyed. "If your matters are that great, then I suggest you talk it over coffee."

Lola frowned at Gakupo, "Please hand over your sword." At first, he was reluctant. But after a few moments, he gave it up.

The big one, Al, glared down at Haku. "Betta back down, woman. Hand over yer weapon." She stiffened, looking at the cold stares everyone gave her. Her lips curled downwards into a snarl before quickly smiling.

"Of course." she gave up her gun and smoothly walked away as if nothing had happened.

"..._God_. I thought I was gonna die." Gakupo gasped in relief. He leaned over the railing, coughing. Lola patted his back and returned his katana.

"Be grateful we came in time."

"Believe me. I am."

Nekomura, pouting, whacked his head. "Dummy! Why'd ya do that? She isn't someone you 'd mess with! Especially during school!"

"I agree with Iroha," Lola nodded, "This isn't like you, Kamui, acting careless."

Gakupo sighed, massaging his scalp. "I couldn't help it. She... threatened to hurt someone special to me. Someone I cherish deeply." He meant Luka. Could that mean he actually returned her feelings? And I thought...

"Don't be messing wit' dem fools, yo. If Dell finds out..." Al's voice trailed as he crushed the revolver in his bare hand for emphasis. I gasped silently. Whoa! How did he...!

"I know, I know. I'll stay away from her."

"And you understand why?"

"Yes...," The professor nodded as his feet approached the railing where I once stood. "How is Kaiko? Has she found other NND members yet?"

"She sent the signal, but there's no response yet," Lola replied worriedly as she wrung her wrists, "If help doesn't come soon, Leon will-"

"Leon's company isn't giving us much time! At this rate, we're all dead! " Iroha cut in brashly, crossing her arms. "That means everyone in Japan!" she exclaimed, "Project Rin is losing stability, I can tell. Even though she appears happy, my scanners inform me she's taking an unprescribed medication without our consent!" Her eyes flashed with impatience, and her voice filled with fear.

I suddenly felt scared too. What were they talking about? Project Rin as in the Rin I know is taking drugs? And my own teacher... is he involved is some kind of world crisis with the school's prefects and Kagamine-kun's stepdad?

What the hell is going on? I'm serious. I'm really, really confused right now. Not to mention terrified.

"I'm beginning to think she should've never escaped from Germany in the first place!" Iroha growled, "At least that way, our lives wouldn't be endangered!"

"Iroha!"

"No, think about it!" The girl replied hotly, "She was born in a lab and raised to be a terminator. Her being here only brings danger!"

Al stepped forward, "Lil' girl, you don't mean tha-"

"Project Rin is a cyborg, not a human. She doesn't belong here."

"Cyborg?" I whispered to myself, shell-shocked. Rin is a... cyborg? As in from sci-fi novels? From what I'm hearing, it sounded like she escaped from a lab and this Leon guy was trying to get her back in crazy ways...

"Unless we do something, we're all goners." Nekomura said, closing her eyes.

"So you're saying we should obey Leon's request?" Gakupo questioned, knitting his brows together. He shook his head. "Sorry, but I don't think our situation would be any better even if she hadn't escaped. It'd be worse, actually." Snow fell in his hair as he spoke, "If Rin, his own daughter, were in his hands then, more lives would be lost."

"I, for one, am glad she's here. Not just because she's a forewarning for us, but also because her glow is like her mother's, like Miriam," Professor told them, "That girl's happiness is everyone's happiness."

Nekomura and the others were silent now.

Including me.

"I'm not about to let Leon, Crypton, or Haku win. I'll do anything to protect the people precious to Luka... but not only that, Miriam wouldn't want Rin in Leon's hands. This is the way she'd want things... having her daughter live a normal life."

The pieces slowly came together as my eyes widened further and further.

Oh god.

Poor Rin...

A moaning cry escaped my throat, and I immediately covered my mouth. It was too late though, everyone spun around.

"Who's there?" Iroha demanded, pulling me from the shadows. I gasped and fell flat on my face.

"Kasane?" Groaning, I looked up to see Professor's eyes on me. He rubbed his eyes as if he couldn't believe I was there.

"Uh! Uh... um...! I-I didn't hear anything about cyborgs or that Japan's in danger or anything..." I grinned and laughed nervously, crawling towards the door.

* * *

_**Kaai Household**_

**General POV**

Kaai Akane left the youngster in charge of the house. GachapoidR3000, inclined to be a tidy butler, performed hourly chores. Floating in his false form, he wiped the windows with what a spherical body could manage (his vectors were useless now). After seeing the windows were clear, the robot scanned the area critically to see what else needed cleaning. The dishes in the kitchen were washed and put away, the expensive chic rugs were thoroughly vaccuumed, and the laundry was kept; every surface and counter-top shone and sparkled clean.

GachapoidR3000's eyes fell on the large pine tree standing in the living room. Tall and proud, it smelled fresh. A box of Christmas decorations lay under its branches; Yuki and Akane meant to use them later.

Just then, the door slammed open and shut. Beady eyes blinked in surprise. School dismissed already? Immediately, the robot transformed into his boy form. As soon as he did, a girl came running in her socks, nearly slipping. "I'm home!" she announced cheerfully.

"So you are." he greeted.

Yuki pouted, "Ryu~to! You're supposed to say, 'welcome back' when someone comes home!"

Gachapoid blinked. "Really?"

"'Course! Mama says it's trodisinal!"

"_Traditional_." he corrected.

"That too." she replied, scrunching her face. "Hasn't your Mama taught you things like that?" The boy simply shrugged; neutral opinions were normally the best way to answer this fireball. "Mou, you're weird." She dragged him by the arm and led him to the entrance. "Anyway, we gotta start over." With that, she exited.

Gachapoid stood there, unsure of what to do. Moments later, Yuki reappeared with a big grin.

"I'm home!"

"W... welcome back."

Yuki beamed. "Much better." and she hung her backpack, humming. Gachapoid followed in into the kitchen.

"Your mother left snacks on the table. Your favorite: apples."

"With caramel, too! Oh boy!" Yuki cheered and allowed Gachapoid to pull back her chair so she could sit. "Oooh! You won't believe what happened today, Ryuto! This morning, y'know, Kenta-kun was being mean to Nana again..." He nodded and listened. After a while, however, he became consumed with his inner thoughts.

Yuki Kaai, a talented singer at the age of nine, was the one who rescued him. With all the energy of a monkey, she loved to chatter and could do so for hours. But when she sang, everyone became mesmerized. She had a voice of an angel.

"...and then the toad jumped out of her lunchbox! It scared us silly!"

He was lucky to be alive. When Mikuo threw him down that well, he had been paralyzed for hours. The butler shivered at the memory. It had been so dark and freezing. Ice framed his body, numbing to the point where he thought he would die. An unpleasant experience. Now, he was being cared for by Kaais.

A loud sigh escaped.

Yuki stopped talking and blinked. "Am I boring you?" Gachapoid's eyes grew big. He hadn't meant to be rude. As he was about to fervently object and ask her to continue, the door opened.

"I'm home." A woman with jaw-length black hair walked in, kicking off her heels.

"Welcome back, Mama~!"

"Welcome back." Gachapoid nodded politely.

Akane grinned, "I see you two are already snacking." she sighed exaggeratedly, "It can't be helped then. I guess we'll just have to go shopping another time..." Her voice sounded disappointed but her eyes were laughing.

Yuki gasped, "Christmas shopping! How could I forget?" She ate the last of her apples and licked the sticky caramel from her fingers. Bouncing up, she quickly put on her coat. "Don't worry, Mama. I'm ready now."

"Wait for Ryuto-kun."

Akane let him borrow one of Yuki's old coats (which was pink... sigh). They drove up to the mini marts where locals shopped. The neighbors knew the Kaais ever since Yuki was a toddler, so they wouldn't be bothered with cameras or autographs.

Gachapoid didn't necessarily like being called "Ryuto". But it wasn't as if he could tell them his real name. One could never be too careful.

"Your receipt. Happy holidays."

"Thanks." The woman and two children decided to stroll around the town. Christmas jingles played outside through the speakers, and people rushed around, carrying many store bags. The season was coming.

Yuki gasped, "Uwaah~ look, it's Santa!" she pointed excitedly at the jolly imitation holding a giant flyer that said 'DOGS AND CATS AVAILABLE AT ADOPTION HARBOR! 30% OFF!' Screaming, she ran up to him and gave him a giant hug. She started chattering about how she just saw him near Oak street and asked why he didn't send her that pony she'd been asking for.

"And I was extra, extra good that year!" she told him, "If you were out of ponies, you could've just told me." Akane laughed and led her away. "But I didn't get to tell Santa what I wanted this year." she protested.

Akane chuckled, "Send him a letter. Santa's busy right now."

Yuki muttered something but didn't argue.

"It's snowing again," Akane remarked as white flakes started to fall from the sky. "The weather's been like this since yesterday... hm, the road conditions better not get bad; I'm in a good mood today." They continued walking down the street.

"Akane, what's our destination?" Gachapoid asked. His green boots crunched the snow with every step.

"I just need to drop something off at the senior center. Don't worry. We'll go home afterwards." As they walked the crossing, Yuki collided against Gachapoid within the mass of people. She quickly held his hand.

"What do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas, Ryuto?"

The boy merely sighed, "I don't believe in Santa, Yuki."

Yuki's jaw dropped in shock. "What? But we just saw him back there!"

"That one was a fraud. An obvious one at that."

"Nuh-uh! Santa's real! But anyway, you still didn't answer my question; what do you want for Christmas?"

"I want to stay beside with the one I love most. She's stubborn and tempermental," he stated thoughtfully, "but she's also very polite. She eats a lot, too."

"She sounds cool," Yuki said, grinning. "I never thought Ryuto had a number one. I hope I get to meet her someday."

Gachapoid smiled, "I'm sure she'd like that." They arrived at the nursing home. The plaza smelled like coughdrops and vanilla. Handicapped elders surrounded the window screens and watched the falling snow. A nearsighted old man rolled up to them in his wheelchair, smiling sweetly.

"Hana, my wife, is that you?" he asked in a croaking voice. His wrinkly hands landed on Yuki's head, "You've shrunk!"

Yuki laughed, "No, Toro, it's me! Yuki!"

"Oh... so it is. Hello, Yuki-chan." Toro smiled, showing his dentures. Soon, four other handicapped elders came to greet them.

"Hello, dears," Boshi-chan greeted, squinting to see which one was which. "We were just wondering about you."

Akane laughed, "We came to by say hello. Here's the jigsaw puzzles you've been asking for. And also, we thought you all might enjoy the cake Yuki and her friend made this morning," she gave the wrapped package to Toro, "Merry Christmas." The elders smiled their approving thanks. Boshi-chan, leading Akane away, asked if she could show her something.

"Tell me, Ryuto-kun," Toro's shaking hands touched the boy's face, "Will you marry Yuki-chan someday? After all, you're the same age." The children looked at each other. They were the same height which often mistook them for being in the same grade (Gachapoid was quite tall for his disguised age, and Yuki was the shortest one in her class).

"Yuck. No way," Yuki stuck her tongue out in disgust, "he's my friend."

"Hmmm... hmmm," Toro gave them a wrinkly, happy smile before turning to Gachapoid. "Please take care of this little songbird for me. She may be like my Hana, spiteful and troublesome, but she'll need a nice-looking young man like you to care for her in fifty years."

"Mou! Toro, I'm nine years old! I don't need someone littler to babysit me!" Yuki scolded, crossing her arms.

"...after all, Yuki-chan always wets the bed during this time of year..."

"Toro, that was when I was in kindergarten! We're in the present, y'hear?"

"...and in March 1, 1947, was when Hana refused to date me. It took me seven years to convince her..." Toro talked on and on, lost in his own world. Gachapoid couldn't help but be amused. After all, it must be fun to be old.

"Ugh. Whenever we talk, I somehow end up listening to one of his past stories."

"Never deny an elder his pleasures, Yuki," Gachapoid said with a chuckle, "they can be crafty."

"Agh... the end is near! Can you feel it?" An old man exclaimed as he pointed out the window screen, "A meltdown is coming!"

"There he goes again. Silly Yoru." Yoru. He was always like that; in fact, he just was yelling about city fires yesterday. Yuki giggled, "Must be an old people thing." Gachapoid, however, stared intently at the man.

"Wasteful, wasteful! This generation does but waste things!" The elder howled, "Soon, one of their 'reactor-smreactors' will blow everything to bits! We're doomed!"

One of the nurses came up and rolled him away, "Okay, Old-chan, you're making a scene. Let's visit the cafeteria, alright?"

"We're doomed, people! Doomed, I tell you!"

"Haha. That was funny. Let's go somewhere else," Yuki tugged him by the sleeve and led him to the lobby. "Y'know, if my Daddy comes to see me, you'll get to meet him."

Gachapoid blinked, looking at his friend. "Your father?"

The girl sighed sadly, bobbing her head up and down. The pom-poms in her hair followed the motion. "Yeah. He works with the big police guys in Tokyo. Mama thought he loved his job more than us, so... she told 'im that he couldn't see us anymore. She cried." she then swung her feet up and down. "Maybe if I'd've showed how 'indepondant' I was, Daddy wouldn't have left," her voice started to quiver. She swallowed, "And now, he got hurt by a mean monster. H-His legs are broken, but he won't quit." Tears fell to her lap and became absorbed by her sweater.

"Yu..."

"I-I know it's selfish, but I don't want him to chase anymore bad guys. He gets himself hurt all the time." Hiccups escaped and her voice grew thick with tears. "What I really want for Christmas... is to just have Daddy come home." Guilt ate up Gachapoid's insides at seeing his friend depressed. He wasn't sure how to comfort her but did so in the best way he learned; he patted her head.

"Your parents' marital problems had nothing to do with you," he said slowly, trying to relate his vocabulary to hers. Yuki blinked away unshed tears, "And he's fighting bad guys because he wants you safe. He loves you." His words sounded heartfelt. His colorful tie was now crumpled from being twisted so much. "And... he's keeping himself healthy so he can see his number one again," he looked at her, "that's you, Yuki."

Yuki stared before smiling and wiping her eyes with her red mittens. "You always know how to make me feel better." she then laughed, "Your number one is lucky to have someone like you." They smiled at each other.

"Then you do think he'll come home?"

"Of course!" Yuki replied, "You're the one who helped me believe again!" Gachapoid couldn't help but feel a little proud. "And anyway, I told him all about you in my letter~! Since he doesn't know your name yet, he wants you to know his: Hiyama Kiyoteru!"

Gachapoid's smile faded.

Hiyama Kiyoteru?

The boy blinked. Wasn't that the name of the police agent who tried arresting Rin when she and her friends went to the amusement park?

"Oh look, they're eating our cake! Let's join them, Ryuto!" Gachapoid nodded slowly, mechanically. He excused himself outside. It was still cold out. Vapory puffs escaped his mouth as he stood, shivering.

Gachapoid then lowered his gaze. For the past few days, living here made him feel strange. It felt nice. Playing silly games with Yuki, eating snacks and visiting the old people... it made him feel, dare he say it, like a _boy_.

In actuality, however, he was really an andriod piece derivived from his mistress' ear canal. His senses were linked with hers, making him seem 'human'. But he really wasn't one of them.

"I still can't forget my mission." he sighed aloud. Right. Realizing who Yuki's father was immediately snapped him back to reality. If he didn't find who he was looking for soon, facing Leon would be suicide.

"Although I live in the next town, I always come to see the snowfall during this time of year; it's beautiful." Gachapoid turned around to find an elderly, clean cut man whistling up at the sky. His gray hair was combed back, and his kind face looked recently shaved. He wasn't handicapped like the ones inside, but he clearly needed his cane. By the looks of it, he took daily walks. "It would certainly be a change if everything in this world could remain peaceful and pure, like the snow."

True. The dirty things of this world were covered up when it snowed. It was like cleansing.

"War's blood, vengence, adultery... and the public affairs of government are forgotten for now."

Gachapoid nodded, "I know someone who dreamed of repairing this world. Renewing it as a clean slate," he said, "He wanted to knowledge to make the world at its best with trusting governments, people living in harmony using clean, efficient technology; he wanted to build a family inside a perfect world in his own image... but his paths changed constantly. He never felt he could reward himself." The boy looked down at the footsteps, his brows furrowing, The old man listened. "His family eventually fell apart, and he lost himself. To this day, he continues to chase his dream... in darkness."

"...Yes," The man's face became troubled. He closed his eyes, sighing deeply as if remembering something regretful. "And he lost his wife and child due to a dream that drove him to madness." He spoke hoarsely. Gray hair fell over ancient blue corneas. "My son... Leon."

A breeze picked up the colors of the boy's tie, flapping it around. Gachapoid blinked in shocked realization as he properly faced him.

"You're... Leon's father?"

Solemnly, the elder nodded. "I know you were looking for me, GachapoidR3000."

"You did?"

"Masaki Takashi at your service," the gentleman bowed deeply, tipping his hat. Gachapoid stared, wondering if he was hallucinating.

* * *

"You're leaving?"

Gachapoid stood beside Masaki, whose hand firmly gripped his shoulder. "Yes. My caretaker has arrived. This is for your trouble." Bowing, he gave a stack of money to protesting Akane. "We'll be leaving now." As they turned to head out the door, something caught Gachapoid's shirt hem.

Yuki's hand.

"Dummy! Why are you suddenly going?" she demanded tearfully, "Is it because you don't like it here? Or could it be you're still mad about the dinosaur cookies? C'mon, I said I was sorry!" Gachapoid blinked. Then his face softened. Rin's grandfather was the person he'd been searching for; if anyone knew Leon's whereabouts, it had to be Masaki. He wanted to find out what happened seven years ago and what became of the Takashi family.

"Yuki..."

"O-or is it because of your number one?" she asked, sniffing, "Not fair! I haven't even got to meet her yet!"

Softening even further, the boy took her hand. "Yuki, I won't be far away. We'll see each other again."

"When?"

Gachapoid hesitated. He wasn't sure how to answer.

"In time." he finally said. Yuki didn't look at all convinced. But she sighed.

"Okay. But if you'll be gone that long, promise we'll at least get to talk at my February concert."

A silence.

"Promise!"

"Y-Yes, yes! I promise!" Gachapoid exclaimed, nodding. Yuki smiled in satisfaction.

"Good. Now move your butt before I change my mind."

Smiling, Gachapoid bowed again and headed to the car. As they drove out of the parking lot, Yuki came running out the doors.

"Someday, I'll be your number one person!" Yuki yelled out to him with her eyes shut. Though anyone could see the tears squeezing through. "'Cause I like you, Ryuto!" Gachapoid waved back before sitting down.

He remembered the short times they spent together.

He missed Yuki already.

A green flash exploded as a tiny robot took the boy's place with narrowed, serious eyes. Now, he had to be focused.

"Some things aren't what they seem," the man said as he turned the car, "they can trick you easily." GachapoidR3000 stared at him.

"That is relevant... how?" He was answered with a mysterious smile. They drove out of the city limits. Fifteen minutes later, they reached a beach and approached a teal-haired boy overlooking the waves. It took the robot a few moments to recognize him. His eyes shot open in fear and shock. Before he could launch himself out of the window, however, Masaki grasped his shoulders firmly, preventing him from leaving.

Fearfully, the robot eyed as the approaching boy. The windows rolled down, allowing Mikuo to lean over with a sly smirk. He then spoke in a calm, deliberate manner.

"Now, we'll explain."

* * *

**Rin's POV**

_"Take your medicine, Rin,"_

_"..."_

_The room was dark with the exception of its white walls. Nothing appeared out of place. The toys were neatly kept and the plastic stars hung from the ceiling. The figures in the room were the center of interest. A girl, dressed in a starchy gown, silently pulled her stuffed rabbit closer. This time, she was on the bed, so sterile and cold. Her skin was hooked to many wires, making it doubtedly possible to support her existence. Her face, skin, and hands were discolored and sunken from the 'medicines' and injected vaccines. The only thing that appeared living was her eyes. Blue irises shone with recoiling raw emotion that one would presume they belonged to a bull-headed calf, not at all to a sickly little girl._

_Slowly, she shook her head._

_Miriam sighed and sat on the bed. "Please, Honey? I know they taste bad, but you have to eat these." She held out the white pills to her lips, only to be pushed away._

_"I don't want them!"_

_"Rin, don't be like this. If you want to get better-"_

_"Stop lying!" she shrieked, flailing her arms. Beneath the weakness of her voice was anger. "I'll never get better! And I hate you and Daddy!" Hurt appeared on the woman's face. __"Why are you always hurting me? And why don't I have friends? It's always-!" She suddenly gasped violently and coughed up blood. Spasms jerked her little body as her eyes rolled all the way to the back of her head._

_Alarmed, the woman immediately injected a vaccine in her skin. Her eyes widened momentarily before she collapsed in her arms._

_"I'm sorry," Miriam cried and held her close. "I'm so sorry."_

"Mommy!" I cried, suddenly sat upright with my hands clenching the kitchen table. Beads of sweat formed lightly on my forehead. Nami, startled, turned to look at me.

"Yes?"

"Oh... ah," It had been a dream? Thank goodness... I sighed, lowering my head. "I apologize, Nami. I was just..."

"Dozing off?" she offered, grinning. She carried a large sports bag to the door. "Save it for the sleepover. Meiko's picking you up any moment." A car horn sounded. "Ah, right on time~."

I still felt slightly shocked by the memory. The vision kept playing in my head. Hissing in pain, I privately ate a pill before glancing at the clock; it was already three.

"Bringing Herr Bunny, I see?"

I smiled and nodded, clutching Len's precious rabbit tightly under my arm.

Nami bestowed a chaste kiss on my cheek before shooing me out the door."Bye, baby~! I'd come too if I could, but someone has to make dinner for our boys... and there's no way I'm letting them order smelly and cheap takeout again!"

As I approached Meiko's car, Len ran up to me. "You forgot this." he panted, giving me my toothbrush inside a plastic bag. I thanked him. "Also..."

I tilted my head. "Please be quick, Len; Meiko-nee is waiting."

Len shuffled nervously, "Just call me if you need anything." he gestured at his cellphone. I smiled at his thoughtfullness.

"I will."

"And don't stay up too late."

"Yes."

"And don't stay outside too long or you'll get sick."

I beamed. "I won't."

"Sleep with extra blankets tonight."

"Yes."

"And..." Len stared at me with a strange look in his eyes. "Try not to eat all their food."

"Yes, al-" I then blinked before flushing at what he just said. "L-Len! I am not a barbarian...!" I protested, shaking my head furiously.

"I'm just saying," His voice sounded very serious, but his eyes were laughing. I puffed my cheeks out, ruffled. A grin broke out on his face as he finally started chuckling. "Heh... just kidding. Sorry," he then looked at me with a sigh, "Just have fun, okay?"

"Thank you, Len." I smiled before rushing into Meiko-nee's car.

"He sure cares about you." she commented as we drove to Luka's house. I blinked, slightly confused.

"Who?"

"Len, of course," Meiko-nee grinned. "He's so sweet around you."

"But... that is his personality."

A snort escaped from Meiko-nee as she drove past a corner. "Get a clue already, Rin-chan. He's only himself when you're around. I mean, he waits on you, competes for you, teases you, worries himself sick over you; what other girl does he reach that far for?"

A warm, bubbly feeling surfaced inside me as I blushed. True, Len has been rather... charming lately. He hadn't quite been ignoring me as much lately. He still fidgeted when we were in the same room and still averted eye contact with me. But we started talking again. That made me extremely happy.

I buried my burning face in Herr Bunny's fur as Len's scent tickled my nose. Whether being sweaty after soccer or using banana shampoo after showers, Len's scent always calmed me.

"His birthday's coming up soon; it's on the 27th," Meiko stated with a smirk, "Oh boy. Me and Kaito are gonna prank him good this year. But I wonder where we're celebrating it." I blinked before tilting my head sideways. Len's 'birthday'? I heard Nami mention it several times.

"When you say 'birthday', do you mean the day of Len's birth?" I suddenly asked.

"Bingo. Every person celebrates his or her birthday, Rin-chan...," Lowering my neck, I shook my head. Len's birth. I pictured his baby picture Nami showed me several months ago.

"Is it traditional to do so?"

"Usually. Since mine's in July, I celebrate it by lighting fireworks and blasting firecrackers," she turned a corner. "What about you? Do you do anything cool for your birthday, Rin?"

My birthday?

"I... can't remember."

"Ah, so you're one of those people who doesn't do anything, I see."

"That's not it...," I answered, struggling to remember. "I just don't know. I don't remember whether or not I have a birthday."

"You don't know when yours is?" Meiko-nee sounded surprised.

I shook my head, smiling. "N-no, I don't. But it's nice Meiko-nee and Len know theirs. I-it really is." I then lowered my gaze. "It makes me extremely happy Len was born. His birthday marks where his life began; it matters to me. So I want to celebrate that, too."

We arrived in Luka's driveway. Meiko and I took our bags and rang the doorbell. It was Luka who answered. She invited us inside.

"I'm glad you came! Teto is upstairs but she'll be down in a minute." We went into the living to find Miku sitting on the couch. My eyes widened. The doorbell suddenly rang. Luka rushed to get it.

"What... the fuck are you doing here?" Meiko uttered; she looked just shocked as I felt. Miku looked up. Her face tightened seeing me before her eyes flickered to Meiko. Teto brought in an operating device of some sort.

"Got the karaoke!" she announced, "Ah. Meiko and Rinny-boo are here already? Alright!" She patted our backs, "C'mon, you two can help me with the Wii." Meiko and I remained frozen, staring at Miku.

Why was she here?

Two familiar voices sounded in the hallway. I turned around to find Luka leading two shadows into the room. "Please make yourselves at home."

"Thank you, Megurine-san."

Akita entered the room, rubbing her head,"Urgh... you wouldn't happen to have painkillers, would you, Megurine? Because I swear my head feels like it's gonna-" She saw Teto, who was staring at her.

* * *

"You cheated, Kasane! I saw you!"

"I so didn't! You don't know what you're talking about!"

Akita threw her controller down and pushed her forehead against Teto's. "You calling me a liar?" We lay around Teto's fuzzy pink carpet while watching Neru and Teto play a strange virtual game. Sonika couldn't come because of her cold. Luka was on the bed. I sat, observing them with my back against a bundle of the pillows Len gave me. Meiko sat beside me with her legs crossed. She was clearly trying to avoid looking at Miku, who in turn, tried making eye contact.

"Maybe I am." Teto snarled.

"I wouldn't've come if Megurine had said you'd be here! Ugh!"

Teto snorted, "Maybe if you were smart enough to know this is my house, you wouldn't _have_ to be here!"

"How about I leave then?"

"Be my guest!"

"Teto, Akita-san! Please!" Luka broke them apart, sighing. "Let's try to get along. We're here to have fun." She then turned on the television, and a microphone icon immediately appeared. "How about we try some singing?"

"That sounds like fun." Gumi immediately offered, smiling.

"Hmph... fine, but there's no way I'm doing a duet with her," Akita bent a thumb at Teto, who snorted.

"So, who wants to start?"

"Oh, oh! Me! Me, me, me, me, _meee_!"

"Anyone else besides Teto?"

"Wha! No fair, Luka!" Teto's curls bounced up and down against her shoulders as she glared. I hugged Herr Bunny. Although I was glad to be here, I couldn't help but wonder why Luka invited Miku and Akita. Teto, Meiko-nee, and I weren't too fond of them.

"Teto, you always sing at home. Let's give someone else a chance," Luka replied in a lady-like manner as she fixed her sweater. She looked at Meiko-nee. "You should go, Meiko-senpai!"

Meiko-nee blinked. "Me?"

"That's right; you used to sing a lot when we were younger!" Teto exclaimed in agreement. "Let's hear you."

"I-I'd rather not. I'd sound terrible."

I frowned. I wanted to hear Meiko-nee sing.

"Pleeeeease? Stop being shy!"

Meiko-nee shook her head, bringing her pillow closer.

"I'd like to hear you sing, too." Miku spoke up and glanced around, "In fact... we'd all like to. Right?"

Gumi giggled, "Yeah! All in favor, raise your hands!"

We all did.

"Oh alright, alright," Meiko-nee grumbled and swiped the microphone from Teto, "Just don't laugh." After picking her song, the music began. We all grew quiet. She held her breath until the lyrics appeared. We listened carefully. I thought her voice came out low and strong, like gentle thunder. Cuddling my rabbit closer, I listened contentedly. After the song was over, we clapped.

"You didn't sound bad at all, babe," Teto said before grinning strangely, "Your deep singing was kind of a turn on." Meiko-nee reddened and fisted her blanket.

"Are you telling me I sound like a man?"

"Of course not," Miku quickly intervened, "It's just that you can hit notes lower than most girls; that's talent."

"Uhh... thanks."

"I enjoyed your singing, Meiko-nee." I told her.

Meiko-nee grinned and hugged me to express her thanks. "Who's next?" They all took turns and soon, we were giggling each time anyone hit an impossibly high note. It appeared even Miku was enjoying herself; she, Teto, and Akita sang in Triple Baka. Luka sang The Little Mermaid. Gumi sang a few love songs along with Meiko.

I sat there silently. I was more interesting in listening than partaking in this activity. They all had nice voices.

"Oh," It was Miku's turn. Her remote hovered over a certain song.

Akita raised an eyebrow, "Last Night, Good Night'? That's a pretty sad song."

Miku smiled remorsefully. "I like it. It's beautiful that way... it reminds me of someone." Without a second thought, she clicked it and the music began. All of us quieted down.

**"Sleeping soundly, I have a dream **  
**Of your profile **  
**Without noticing the overflowing tears **  
**That are running down my cheeks."**

Snow started to fall outside.

**"I've hidden the heartrending **  
**Throbs that are in this chest**

**Last n_iiii_~ght, Good niiiight~**  
**Last niiiii~ght, Good niiiight~ **  
**This night, I'll hold your h****and tight a****nd go to sleep **  
**Good night."**

The tenderness in her voice echoed in the room. Each note rang with a pitch of sadness. Every breath she took was slightly trembly. I witnessed Meiko watching her intently.

My heart clenched. Miku... her voice is so beautiful. So beautiful in fact, that it brought tears to my eyes. The other girls apparently shared my thoughts. Luka dabbed her eyes with a tissue, Neru and Gumi were sniffling, Teto used up the entire box of tissues, and Meiko-nee... she looked incredibly moved. She had a soft expression on her face, and her eyes glazed with unshed tears. Miku's voice resounded in the room; everything was quiet except for her singing. Somehow, she looked incredibly emotional. It was as if she were crying out to someone she lost. Someone precious to her.

**"As it is, I can't convey anything  
So I can't say goodbye**

**Last niiiiight...! Good niiiiight!"** her voice shook with emotion, nearing to the top of her lungs. Tears coursed down her cheeks, "**Last niiiiight, Good niiiiiight! **  
**Even if this voice dies **  
**The melody won't fade!"**

**Last night, Good night**  
**Last night, Good niiiight~!**  
**When I think that the end**  
**Will arrive someday...**

**That's when I hope that the**  
**Night sky will keep your smile**

**Good Night."**

No one spoke for a while. We silently looked at Miku, who wiped her tears as she smiled embarassedly at us. "Sorry. I get emotional when it comes to those songs." I watched her. Somehow, she seemed like a very lonely person. Sometimes she sat alone, and Len was the only one who was around her. Maybe... I misunderstood her. A pang of guilt hit me.

Luka smiled sympathetically. "We understand." To break the melancholy atmosphere, she sat up and clapped her hands. "W-Well, I think that's enough singing for right now unless anyone disagrees?" No one objected. "Okay. How about we play Truth or Dare?"

Akita's eyes shone with excitement. "I love this game!" We gathered in a circle. Based on Luka's explanation, Truth or Dare was a game played where a chosen person could either tell a certain truth about their life or be forced into doing a haphazard antic. Since we were already dressed in pajamas, we didn't think much about hugging our plushies and pillows. "Okay. Meiko-senpai... truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Chicken." Teto snickered, which earned a glare from Meiko-nee.

Akita smoothed her long side-tail, grinning, "Rumor has it you were a gang member in 8th-grade. Is that true?" The color immediately drained from Meiko-nee's face. Her lips became dry. "Well? Hurry up and answer!"

"I know, so shut up!" she groaned and slapped her head, "... i...it's true." she mumbled the last part so quietly, it was almost impossible for us to hear. Gumi gasped in astonishment.

"R-Really, Meiko-senpai? But you're so nice!"

Meiko-nee sighed, "It was only for a month. I made the mistake of hanging around the wrong crowd at that time just 'cuz I wanted to show off," she told us seriously, "Luckily, Kaito helped me see my wrongdoings. It took me a while to bail, but I eventually got out of it. It was pretty scary though." Gazing at her hands, she smiled slightly, "Well, if it wasn't for Kaito, I'd probably be in jail right now... or worse." A blush tinted her face. "I'm grateful having him around." She then recovered, "Anyway, it's my turn!" She pointed at Gumi, "Truth or dare?"

Gumi blinked, "Dare."

A wicked grin spread across Meiko-nee's face. Cackling, she gestured at a window. "I dare you to scream, 'I am a pedo-lover!', five times in a row. At the top of your lungs." Gumi looked mortified. Squeaking, she stammered weak protests. "Ah ah. A dare's a dare."

Gumi paled.

Meiko grinned.

Akita snickered.

Teto burst into laughter.

Luka sighed.

Miku blinked.

I tilted my head in wonder.

Slowly and almost painfully, Gumi's legs trudged towards the window. With her face pale, she opened the doors and leaned her head out before screaming, "I AM A PEDO-LOVER! I AM A PEDO-LOVER! I AM A PEDO-LOVER! I AM A PEDO-LOVER! I AM A PED-_eeeek OH MY GOD_!" she shrieked and ran back to us, burying herself under a carrot printed blanket. "That geezer was looking at me with this w-weird look in his eyes...!" she sounded like she was crying.

"She's pretty shaken. So I'll go next," Teto piped up, dismissing her sobs with a wave. "Akita, truth or dare?" As Akita was about to answer, Teto cut in, "Naturally, you're going say 'truth' just because you're spineless like that..."

Akita's eyebrow twitched, "Actually, I was going to say dare, _Kasane_."

"Fine. I dare you to run around my block wearing only your undergarments."

Akita's jaw dropped in mortification, "H-HELL NO! There' s no way I'm doing that! B-Besides, it's cold!"

Teto grinned, "What's this~? Pretty miss Neru can't handle a simple dare? Aw, poor, poor baby. I do it all it the time, but I guess that means Akita doesn't have balls." A huge blush crept to the blonde's cheeks as she gripped her phone tightly. "No balls! No confidence what. So. Ever!" She suddenly got to her feet and stripped everything off except for her undergarments. Clenching her teeth, she glared at Teto.

"I'll get back at you, Kasane. I swear!" And she ran outside. When she came back, she was red-faced, panting, shivering, and covered in snow. Grumbling, she went to the washroom.

"Okay, Hatsune," Luka spoke after confessing she turned down fifteen boys this year, "Truth or dare?"

"Truth." Miku answered confidently.

"AGAIN?" Teto groaned, rolling her eyes, "God, you people are _so_ boring."

Luka ignored her and asked Miku, "Why do you sleep with a key under your pillow?"

Miku blinked before glancing hesitantly at her pillow, "You saw?" Luka nodded, smiling. She looked around at us nervously before speaking, "Well... it opens my most precious item: a music box Mikuo and I once shared," she said and pulled out an old black key with its handle shaped like an M. "You see, we would always put memoirs of our childhood days inside so we could look back and remember. Mikuo... he was really sweet back then." A smile graced her features.

I wrung my hands with my eyebrows knitted together. Glancing down, I bit my lower lip. It sounds as if Miku and Mikuo-kun were really close in the past. But if that is the case, why were they unfriendly towards each other now? I've noticed it. Miku spoke coldly of him, and he looked at her with demeaning smiles.

It confused me.

"So where is this music box?" Meiko-nee suddenly asked, attempting to hide her interest but failed.

Miku's smile faltered slightly, "It's gone. My mother accidentally sold it during a yard sale and since then, I've been looking for it."

Gumi fixed her hair, asking, "Do you remember what it looks like?"

"It's brown, and about this size," Miku shaped her hands for emphasis, "But most of all, it has a giant gold M at the top. I... I really want to find it."

Meiko-nee stared at her for a few moments before looking away and mumbling, "... If I see anything like that, you'll be the first to know." Miku looked surprised at her words.

"Meiko..."

Meiko-nee stiffened. "I-I just hate it when people lose things like that. It's irresponsible."

Miku's face glowed, "I know. Thank you..." Meiko-nee glanced at her. No one could deny the slight smile forming the corners of her lips. "Kagamine-san, truth or dare?" I tore my gaze from her. It was my turn?

"T-Truth."

Miku pondered for a few moments before asking seriously, "Who was your first love?" Suddenly, everyone crowded around me.

"My first..." I repeated dumbly. Love?

_"You promised!"_

Slowly, my eyes widened.

_A little blond boy sobbed uncontrollably as he fell to his knees. His face and clothes were dyed in red as snowflakes fell into his wet eyelashes. The ballons and gifts he held fell to the ground. All that mattered was the still, unmoving body in his arms._

_"You promised we'd be together forever! You're not supposed to break your promises!" he cried, fiercely hugging the girl's shoulders. The hat from her head which was covered in bruises. Her sunny hair was now caked with muddy snow. "Please don't leave me!"_

A whimper escaped from me. Clutching my head, I gasped and shook. Haku's medicine was all the way in Luka's bathroom so I couldn't retrieve it. Memories of the boy's face flashed through my mind before bloody images corrupted them.

It hurts...

"Rin-chan?" Meiko-nee's face hovered over me. She looked worried. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to. It's okay. Don't hurt yourself... hey, Rin-chan? Rin-chan!" I felt naseous. A sourness exploded in my mouth. I wanted to retch.

Please, no... I don't want to remember!

Don't make me remember, Mommy! Please... I'm sorry!

Worried voices were heard around me but I shut them out. A ringing noise exploded in my ears, getting louder and louder! My eyes started to sting, and something inside me grew very cold.

Just then, something soft was thrown in my face. Instantly, the ringing noise and the pain vanished. Gasping, I felt a pillow on my lap. Someone had thrown it at me. Looking up, I saw it'd been Teto. An unreadable expression was on her face as she looked at me intently.

"Teto..."

Then she smiled kindly.

"I get where you're coming from already. Stop pushing yourself so hard." Another pillow was thrown at me. I gasped and looked at Teto. Her eyes were understanding and cheer. For a few moments, we just looked at each other.

There were no words needed. She completely understood and forgave me.

And then, laughing tearfully, we started a pillow fight.

* * *

**"Come, Your Majesty... you can never escape me. The only one you've been hiding from is yourself!"**

Maniacal laughter echoed in the room as the green princess gave a bloodcurdling scream. Terror filled my insides as I buried my head under the pillow, trying to block out the horrible chasing scene. After the pillow fight, Gumi announced she borrowed a scary movie called 'Alice Human Sacrifice'. The story was about a 'Dream' who was once friends with a dead girl named Alice. But because the Dream was lonely, it started sacrificing people with her traits to revive her.

**"Would you like to play with us... where Alice is?"**

A sickening crunch resounded. Akita and Teto shrieked and clung to each other. Screaming, I also clung to the closest person for comfort: a snoring Meiko-nee.

"Too fucking gory!"

"GUMI! Why the hell did you get this movie- _Oh god_, NOOO!"

Meiko-nee and Miku were the only ones who were calm. Well, actually, Meiko-nee fell asleep halfway through the movie and was snoring. Miku, almost boredly, continued eating her popcorn. I whimpered and clung to Herr Hoppy and Meiko-nee's arm even tighter.

"B-But," Gumi protested weakly through terrified squeaks, "S... Sonika said it wasn't that bad, so-!"

"Sonika is a lying bitch!" Akita half-shrieked, half-wailed.

A certain scene where the twins were led into the forest which was the only path to the Queen's castle.

**"Sister, maybe we should head back."**

**"No way! We got this far!"**

**"B-But I think I heard something... like an animal growling."**

Breathing shakily, I mentally shrieked to the children to run away when a pair of red eyes glowed behind them within the thickness of the trees.

**"Hey, brother, why're you breathing so h-... H-hey, why are your eyes so red-OH! No, no, NO! GET AWAY!"**

The screen suddenly blacked out as the sounds of flesh ripping, animal growling, and the elder sister's bone-chilling screams resounded. Whimpering, I plugged my ears as best as I could and squeezed my eyes shut. The brother, possessed by the dream, brutally murdered his sister. The credits rolled along over a still picture of two shadows in a graveyard; the younger brother held a bloody corpse (possibly his sister's) in his arms.

**Thanks for "you".**

"What kind of ending was _that_?" Teto grumbled as she ejected the video. "Hmph. Whatever. At least it's over."

"Very intense." I spoke up with a nod.

Akita shuddered, "Great. Now I'll be having nightmares for weeks." A eerie creak broke the atmosphere as a shadow crept the floorboards. A dark figure loomed over... My eyes shot open. T-The Dream!

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"AAAGH! SAVE ME JESUS!"

We all screamed, waking Meiko-nee up. The lights flashed on, revealing a very startled Luka holding a tray of seven mugs of hot cocoa. She stared at us before self-consciously touching her nose.

"...Is something on my face?"

Everyone relaxed.

Teto glared. "Make a fucking creepy entrance, why don't you! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Luka blinked before looking at the screen.

"Finished already?"

"No, duh! Where were you?" Akita demanded hoarsely. Me and Meiko-nee exchanged looks. Her eyes told me she didn't have the slightest clue to what was going on. Miku and Gumi, still shaken, clung to each other like ragdolls.

"I thought you might all be thirsty, so..." Luka gestured to the tray of mugs.

Teto, rolling her eyes, scoffed. "Where you get the courage to wander in the dark during horror films, I'll never know... I haven't been this freaked out since 'The Grudge."***** Akita gasped and shuddered.

"Oh God. Don't remind me; I had nightmares about that for weeks."

Teto blinked. "You watched it?"

"The entire series, including the American versions." For a moment, they looked at each other, seeming surprised they shared an interest.

"You often watch horrors?"

Akita scoffed playfully, "What do you take me for? Of course I do! I especially love 'Infected' from 2002."

"Oh my god. Me, too!"

They started chattering about their favorite horror movies and other interests they had. They both liked anime, it seemed, 'yaoi' especially. It was strange seeing them talk and laugh like they were old friends. The other girls shared my surprise. Nonethless, it was relieving to see them not fighting.

Gumi checked her watch and announced it was now 11PM. We played Wii games and a strange, uncomfortable game called 'Twister'. Then we curled our hair and performed makeovers.

"I'm calling it a day." Meiko yawned sometime during our nail-painting session.

"Me too." Luka yawned as well.

"Me three." Gumi agreed and glanced at her watch. It read 1AM. I had to stifle a yawn, trying not to appear as tired as they did. Glancing around, I noticed Miku was missing. After saying good night, the girls burrowed into their blankets and fell asleep right away. Teto and Akita decided to stay up watching more J-Horror films. But I, despite my weariness, wanted to find Miku.

"Now that I think about it," Akita spoke to Teto as I started to leave the room. "You're not as freaky as I thought."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well... I-I mean, you're... um," she muttered awkwardly and bowed her head, "You're actually kind of cool, Kasane. And hanging around you and Megurine in person... it's fun." A silence followed as the screen played. However, Teto and Akita were looking at each other.

"Well... thanks," Teto managed, at a loss for words. She then cleared her throat, "You're not that bad either."

Akita shifted her feet and bit her lip, "Yeah, so... why do we always fight? I mean, I know it had to do with third grade, but I can't even remember what it was about. " Both girls were silent, and I left the room to give them privacy. I walked into the kitchen to find one of the windows wide open. The curtains were dancing.

I felt a strange impulse and went to the window. A chilly breeze hit me as my body leaned away from the frame. The midnight blue sky was full of stars. It was peaceful.

Just then, creaking noises sounded. They were coming from the roof, and I climbed up.

"Kagamine-san?" I was surprised to see Miku there, standing on the tiles. The moonlight framed her complexion beautifully like an angel. Teal hair whipped around like long ribbons. "What are doing here?" she asked, clearly sharing my reaction.

I glanced at my feet, "I could ask you the same thing." I was not trying to be rude, but it felt somewhat unfair for her to be questioning me seeing she was here without a logical reason.

Miku narrowed her eyes, "It's quiet up here, and I like it." A silence followed afterwards.

Then suddenly, she lunged at me with a closed fist, ready to strike. Based on natural reflex, I swerved and avoided her whizzing punch. Miku frowned and kept advancing, which I twisted away from. She did a three-punch combo, aiming mostly for my liver. Hissing under my breath, I grabbed her left wrist and spun behind her. Avoiding my counterattack, she snapped a kick. I expected this and instead grabbed her leg before forcing her on her back. While laying on her stomach, she flailed around like an angry fish. She gasped in pain as I stretched her leg towards her.

"Enough," I warned, "You've already crossed the line."

Miku swatted at me angrily before gripping the back of my neck. Shocked, I nearly shrieked as our positions switched. She was now leaning over me with a look of contempt. Gasping for breath, I started to get up until she stepped on my chest, winding me, and pulled out a gun of some sort. My eyes widened as a stream of electric currents ejected and came in contact with my bare skin. I gasped as an intense pain built up in my head. My muscles contracted and tightened.

Miku didn't stop there. Cocking her taser, she increased the voltage. Gritting my teeth, I lay there, parlyzed. My arms became completely useless. W-why? Why was she doing this? A scream ripped from my throat as a fire lit inside me. It kept getting hotter and hotter to the point where I felt like I was being cooked alive. It was too much.

My vision was starting to fade. Choking out, I realized my strength was being drained. I couldn't move; my legs, arms, and even my head... I was completely immobile. Just as the corners of my vision became white, the pain immediately stopped.

I gasped, moving my fingers.

Just now. What happened?

I still laid there, panting and gasping. My face felt flushed, and my breathing sounded strange. Nonetheless, I was alright. C-Could it be...? Something wet hit my cheek. Blinking, I glanced up to see Miku looking down at her lap, trembling. Tears dripped down her face.

"I can't do it," Miku dropped her gun. Shakily, she buried her face with both hands. She was crying. "I-I didn't want to hurt you, Rin. I mean it! Please understand. I really didn't want to!" a sob escaped from her.

I stared at her, confused. "Then why-?"

"I know who you are," Though she sounded calm, she blinked away tears. "You're not Len's sister. I know you're not related to anyone here at all. Biologically, at least." she then paused, closing her eyes. "And... that you're not even human." My eyes widened. Slowly, I got to my feet. My gaze never left hers.

"What could you possibly know?" I asked, my voice came out dry, "How dare you... acting as if you know me!" Anger surged. "And I _am_ human!"

"No, you're not!" Miku answered sharply before blinking and clearing her throat. "You're not," she repeated. This time, her voice was soothing. "From what I know, your father, a CEO who's sent his 'products' to murder the board, is trying to take you back to Germany." I shook my head in denial. Images of tall man wearing a lab coat flashed before my eyes. She frowned in sympathy, "Professor Gakupo and Len-kun's stepdad, they're involved too, right?"

"No!"

"And your mother... I'm so sorry.

"Stop!" I glaringly shrieked at Miku. "Stop, stop, STOP! Someone like you could never understand! You could never understand how painful it was!" Memories of being locked in that cold room, staring at the barred door, hit me. "It was so lonely there, waiting... hoping... wishing someone to unlock it. And everything Daddy and Mommy had me suffer!" A recoiling rage grew within me, filling to the brim. "Why... did you bring this up? I left it behind. Father can't use me anymore! Dell, Gacha, Nami, Kaito, Meiko-nee, Teto, Luka... and Len, they accept me despite the way I am!" My chest heaved with trembling gasps. "But you, Miku, _you_ are someone! You have everything. You're everything I'm not!"

Miku said nothing.

"A-At least," I breathed harshly and clutched the throbbing pain in my left breast, "you don't burden others. You are strong, beautiful, kind... though you regard me coldly, it's really how others should treat me," My voice grew thick with sadness; I sank to my knees. It was almost painful. Out of all the people who comforted me, Len gave me the treatment I so desired for; he allowed me to be near him. The day we met, I still remembered how he first looked at me. The compassion and desire to help me. That attracted me immediately, and I became attached to him and his kindness, eventually ended up hurting us both. Especially Len. Because of who I was, I endangered his life.

Miku was still looking at me with sympathy. It was destestable. She looked at me as if my prescence was demeaning. She _pitied_ me. Just like Len.

My arms held me up for support as I lowered my head, fighting the tears building up in my eyes. I... Thinking of Len, I felt a flame alit inside; it was warm and radiating. I cannot fully comprehend this feeling, but as long as I was around Len, I could always feel that flame instead of recalling my darker days.

Len... was my first friend.

"You're right that I can't understand your past," Miku answered softly, "But I do you're hiding from the truth. You're living a life that's not yours."

I closed my eyes, ashamed.

"And even with that fact, Len-kun still looks at you!" Miku sounded like she was pain. "He... I... I think I already know. But yet... I still want him." I shivered. "Please, Rin... sooner or later, you'll have to face them. Don't worry about Len. You may hate me for saying this but... I can make him happier than you ever could. So when your time comes, please," she took a shaky breath before bowing, "Give him to me!"

I...

I closed my eyes, breathing quickly. Being with Len is my happiness! Did I not deserve to have that? Miku, unlike me, has everything else I could ever hope for! And yet she insists on taking away the only joy I have? More than anything, I want to hold his hand forever. The thought of him letting go made me want to hold onto him tighter, never letting him loose. And if his fingers even slipped away from mine, I'd scream and scream until I lost my voice. If I could only have that, I would never ask for anything else!

I don't want Miku to have Len. I didn't want them together smiling, walking, laughing. Having her replace me was the worst thought imaginable! I wanted none of that. Learning about him; day by day, it gave me something to live for! I want to know everything about him!

But at the same time, I wanted Len to be happy. No matter how much pain I had to endure. I couldn't be selfish. Me; I am a monster with a tragic past (one I hardly remember about) in contrast with a boy who lives a peaceful, normal everyday life; our paths are star-crossed. I couldn't be selfish; if I stayed, there would be more dangers to come... that meant Len would still be endangered. I bit down on my tongue and lowered my head.

And yet... I don't want to let go!

I stood up, avoiding Miku's teary gaze. "Never," I said in a harsh whisper. My eyes burned with threatening tears, but I held them back. "Take anything from me, Miku. Hate me, spit on me, take all my friends, make me a laughingstock at school, call me a monster... but," My eyes finally met with hers. My face reflected the firmness and determination. "I can never let you have Len." I would never allow that to happen; it would be like forgetting him! With that being stated, I turned and started to leave.

"This is all in your hands!" Miku's shrieking voice stopped me. "What'll you do if others get hurt on your behalf? If you really care, leave for their sake! For Len's sake!" A panging hurt rattled against my chest. I clutched it, hissing softly and closing my eyes. I would have to take medicine later. I started walking again.

I want to see the world ahead; a bright future apart from despair. I want to make that happen! Recently, I've just started enjoying myself. I wanted everyday to be like this; no one is sad or in pain.

And... the past is the past.

Believing is possible, surely!

* * *

**Len's POV**

"I win again!"

"Nami, you...! ARGH! That's it, I'm going all in!"

"Twenty here. Kaito's righteous ego will lead to the loss of lifetime's allowance. Best of luck to you, Bud."

"Go easy on him, Mom. He needs to pay for tuition."

"Screw college! Once I win, I'm buying a pony!"

"Oh no, you're going to have a future or else you'll be disowned."

"... Is that a joke?"

"Anyway, I just need six thousand more yen, and I'll be able to buy Len-kun's birthday present~!" Mom quickly said, grinning ear to ear. It was Saturday, and we were all playing Spoons, holding our cards up and eying each other suspiciously. The NND were in the other room doing who-knows-what. Rin, who just got back from the sleepover, was sleeping on the loveseat. She looked exhausted when Meiko-nee helped carry her stuff in.

I laughed, "Mom, I don't need-"

"Hush, peanut. Mommy's concentrating."

Of course, she won again.

"NO!" Kaito wailed, throwing his entire body on the table dramatically.

"Pay up. Better luck next time." Mom cackled like a witch who just turned everyone into frogs. She collected her earnings. We sighed and reluctantly pushed our money up. "Brownie break, everybody!" and she gloated into the kitchen. I chuckled, shaking my head.

Kaito, groaning, pulled his scarf over his head. "Someone burn me at stake."

Meiko scoffed, "Quit sulking, you big baby. She'll probably give it back later." It was Kaito's turn to scoff.

"Yeah right. It's Nami for crying out loud."

I rose a brow as a warning sign, "Are you implying something rude about my mom?"

"'Course not! If there's anyone I'd insult, it's obviously you, Shota-con." Kaito said, rolling his eyes. Hearing that cursed name threatened my masculity. Once again, the idiot was challenging me. I got to my feet and began cracking my knuckles. I glared at him.

"Rephrase that."

"Make me."

Meiko stopped us, "Both of you, break it up. Today will be a calm Saturday for us to enjoy. That means no shinanagans." Sighing, we sat back down. A little yawn sounded from behind me. It was Rin. Curling her toes, she snuggled against the armrest while clinging to Herr Bunny.

A tuft of hair fell into her eyes, tickling her nose. I inadverntly reached out and tucked it behind her ear. Soft murmurs escaped from her as her nose twitched. I bit back a grin. Soon, I found myself caressing her face. Meiko-nee and Kaito were bickering about something, but I ignored them.

"Nwa..." she mumbled, sucking her thumb. I nearly laughed. God, she's precious. At the moment, I really believed the sight of a sleeping Rin was the cutest, most adorable thing in the world. I mean, look at her! Doesn't she yank at your heart strings?

Seeing her mumble and cheeks puffed out in a sleepy manner, a strange idea popped into my head. I blushed furiously, shaking my head.

No... no, wait! That would be too creepy! Besides, people were behind me so I couldn't exactly... I quickly glanced back at Meiko and Kaito; they were still playing and weren't even looking over here. I glanced back at Rin, chewing my bottom lip nervously.

Okay. It's fine.

I blushed. Slowly and quietly, I pulled out my phone and set it to camera before aiming it at Rin's face.

_Click._

**Save as Wallpaper?**

I clicked yes.

Yawning, Rin unconsiously stretched her body out like a cat before throwing herself the other way. I admired my new screensaver before quickly shoving my phone in my pocket. Just then, her phone went off, waking her up. "Muaaa..." a sleepy sigh escaped from her.

I grinned, trying to act normal. "Hey there. You slept past ten."

"Have I?" she rubbed her eyes. I nodded. "Oh..." She then looked at me strangely. "You look awfully suspicious, Len. Did something happen while I was asleep?" Ah crap, did I look that obvious? I tried keeping my face straight as I cleared my throat casually.

"Of course not."

Like I'd tell her I took a picture of her sleeping. That wouldn't be creepy at all.

Smiling, she grasped my hands and squeezed them softly. "I believe you." I smiled back. I didn't mind this; in fact, this felt nice. I allowed my thumb to stroke her left knuckles.

"How was last night?"

"There was so much excitement that I couldn't sleep."

I laughed, swinging our enjoined hands. "What'd you do?" Funnily enough, Akaito suggested spying on them yesterday; the idea of Rin and her friends having a pillow fight in their panties spurred his hormones. I refused, unwilling to lower my morale (though I admit it was extremely tempting).

"Well," she blinked thoughtfully, "we painted nails, played games: truth or dare and twister, had pillow fights- oh! And we watched this really scary movie, brr! It was so frightening, Len! Akita and Teto were screaming and...!" I laughed, listening to everything she said.

"Sounds like you had fun," I suddenly felt playful as I displayed a look of mock hurt, "That obviously makes me a bore."

Rin's eyes widened, "N-n-no, no, no! I never said that at all I-!" Her face became tight with panic. "You can't just assume horrid things, Len! You can't just-! I-I really enjoy your company and well of course I can't think of you in such ways...!" she rambled on, stuttering and trying to emphasize with wild motions. Oh boy, look at her face... it's so red. I snickered.

Call me creepy, but teasing Rin...

It's fun.

Closing my eyes, I grinned. "Rin," She stopped. "I was just kidding." She blinked several times in realization before looking down at her clasped hands. Just then her phone went off. She opened it and held in to the side of her head.

"Yes? Oh... hello." Her voice sounded surprised. She smiled at me embarrasedly, wiggling in her seat. She was nodding, listening. "Everything is as fine as always... and you?" I arched my brow interestedly. Who was she talking to? Her eyes then went wide, and she then glanced at the clock. "Er... I have no errands, no. This is really unexpected, but," she glanced at the clock, "Yes, I have time. Where are you waiting?"

Whoever was on the other line sounded jittery, nervous... frantic even.

Rin beamed, "In thirty minutes. Yes. Goodbye." Snapping her phone shut, she quickly pulled me upstairs.

"R-Rin? What's happening? Who was that?" I asked, confused as we entered her room. Opening her closet, Rin rummaged through her clothes and started throwing them on the bed. A fabric piece hit my face; her cotton pink panties. "GAH!" Blushing furiously, I dropped it.

"Which one?" Rin was holding up two outfits. I looked at her, bewildered. "Rin, what-"

"Len, please!"

I kept staring at her and randomly pointed on my left; I hadn't even looked at the choices. She quickly dove into the closet. I went downstairs, rubbing my head.

Okaaay.

"Hey, where were you?" Kaito asked, not even looking up. This time, everyone played Go Fish while munching on brownies. Just as I was about to answer, Mom suddenly squealed.

"Kyaaaa! Rin-chan, you look absolutely adorable! I just wanna eat you up~!" she exclaimed before rushing to the kitchen, "That's it! Such moments need a camera!"

Huh? I blinked before glancing over. Rin stood right beside me, now wearing the outfit I chose for her: a turtle-neck white sweater, a pink skirt with white leggings. She also wore converse sneakers, and a pink flower barrette neatly collected her bangs.

"Dressing pretty, are we?" Meiko grinned, "Sneaking off somewhere special, Rin-chan?"

Rin laughed mildly, twirling around. "Do I look presentable?" I noted her question was directed mostly at me. A sudden shyness overwhelmed me. I smiled, trying to come up with a fitting answer.

"You look..." cute? (nah. I've said too much) pretty? (close) "fresh." I immediately wished I could take that back. Fresh? That's it? Really, Len? You could at least come up with something better. Just as I was about to hit myself, Rin's face glowed with pride.

"I knew your choice was best."

Meiko grinned, "Soooo... where you headed? You're meeting someone, right?"

Rin smiled at her, "Yes. He's-oh!" her eyes bulged at the time. "I have to hurry! Page me if I'm needed!" With that, she bolted out the door, leaving us at the table.

"What was that all about?" Kaito mumbled, staring after her. I frowned. So that person who dialed her phone wanted to meet her? If that was the case, why did "he" rush her? Was it something serious or...

Mom returned with her camera. Glancing around, she grinned. "Where's Rin-chan?"

"It's pretty obvious," Meiko said, "Someone calling her like that, dressing cute, blushing like a maiden... she's on a date."

Mom's smile collapsed.

Everyone stiffened. The room suddenly felt cold.

"A... _what_?" Malice practically dripped from Mom's voice.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Here it comes.

"A DATE? _A DATE_? WHAT ON EARTH IS SHE DOING ON A DATE?" We yelped and hid behind the recently overturned coffee table, away from the wrath of a recently enraged, overprotective mother. She was the image of Medusa; reddish-gold hair coiled around her like angry snakes. "She's only been in high school for five months; I haven't even been able to discuss where babies came from- oh no she was just curious about them the other day NOOOO!"

"M-Mom, calm down..." I laughed nervously, trying to soothe her, "M-Meiko-nee was just kidding and-"

"RIN! RIN GET YOUR BUTT BACK HERE!" Mom yelled out the door. She looked at us, frenzied. "You expect me to be calm at a time like this? What if Rin-chan gets stood up? What if she ends up with 'a bun in the oven?' DO YOU THINK MY NERVES CAN HANDLE THAT?"

"B-but Len's right!" Meiko tried, grinning weakly, "I lied! _Really_!"

"WE HAVE NO CHOICE!" Mom assumed a heroic pose, "Quick, everyone! We must stalk her!" She grabbed our protesting selves by our shirt collars and rushed into the garage.

* * *

"... Mom, isn't this kinda overboard?"

Mom looked at me strangely, "What we're doing is necessary, Len-kun."

"But we're wearing_ these_." I grimaced and tugged at the ridiculous costume I had to wear. Me, Meiko, Kaito, Mom were all 'disguised' in Teto's flashy cosplay outfits; they're all from her workplace. Teto was called up for assistance (I honestly had no idea she and mom were friends), and Luka came too.

"It'll be terrible if Rin-chan recognizes us! If we were to dress in street clothes, she'd put us under questioning! Oh the horror!"

"Alright, I guess that's true but WHAT'S THE POINT HAVING ME DRESSED AS A GIRL?" Somewhere along the way, Mom forced me into dressing as Sailor Moon. I mean with the wig, the dress... they even put makeup on me! I felt my mortification increase tenfold as curious passerbys pointed and giggled at me. "This is embarrassing!" I complained, slapping my forehead.

Kaito snickered, "I think you look gorgeous with eyeliner."

"Shut up!"

Teto glared; she was dressed as Mario from Nintendo. "Hey, my boss'll kill me if you keep stretching the fabric."

"I rather like this." Megurine twirled, dressed as Miyuki from "Lucky Star".

"Yeah, I feel like we're in a movie." Meiko tugged at her fake bread.

"Quick, she's on the move!" Mom shot out from behind our van and practically crawled after Rin, who didn't even notice people jumping out of her way in surprise. We, except Teto, reluctantly followed. Okay, so maybe we're not exactly recognizable anymore... but people will obviously notice a bunch of flashy cosplayers walking around the streets.

Rin boarded a train to Tokyo. After her stop, she asked for directions and stopped at an ice rink where a person waited against a planter. His face lit up when he saw her.

"Utatane!" Teto gaped, "Of all people!"

"Shh!"

"Rin-chan, hi!" The albino looked like he dressed carefully for a special event. He wore a white polo shirt with a vest, ironed slacks, and dress shoes. He fixed his tie nervously.

"Since when did she have a boyfriend?" Nami hissed.

Meiko-nee shrugged, "They're not technically dating. But then again, they are. Rin didn't exactly turn him down."

I narrowed my eyes.

So... this is a date after all?

"Have you been waiting long?" Rin asked.

Utatane shook his head, "Not at all. Thanks for coming. To think you'd take time off to spend time with me when you could be doing other things..." he chuckled lightly, twiddling his thumbs.

Rin beamed, "Of course. Piko-kun is important to me too." That got him flustered. He began stuttering and tripping over words.

Teto rolled her eyes."Really, Rin. You can do so much better."

"Yeah, so!" he coughed, "Um...! I-I already bought tickets; let's iceskate." And they headed into the doors.

* * *

Inside the arena was cold. After renting their shoes, they went to the ice. We decided to skate too. Kaito declared a race with Meiko and they zoomed onto the platform at lightning speed, almost knocking others other. Teto, already knowing how to skate, went on the ice and left her cousin behind. Mom, of course...

"Delly-kins, if you don't your butt over here, I'll throw a fit!" Mom shouted into her phone, "Rin-chan's oven is at stake! What do you mean you don't know what I'm talking about! THE BAKERY IS CLOSED I SAY!"

Sitting on the bench alone, I saw many happy couples whiz by and occassionally saw my friends' smiling faces. Subconsiously, I kicked my feet around with a smile.

I wonder what time it is. Taking out my phone, I flipped it open to find the picture from this morning. I soon found myself staring.

You know, Rin kinda looks like an angel.

No wait, she _is_ one.

My eyes fluttered shut as my mind clouded with thoughts of her.

I held my phone a bit tighter.

I don't always see her for her looks. N-Not to say she isn't attractive or anything! I mean, she's cute. But I think of the many parts that make up Rin. People around here are touched by her presence, like being drawn to the sun's warmth. And somehow, they're a little more kinder even if they don't realize it.

My cheeks heated up as two minutes passed; I was still staring at it.

"Oooh~ so she means that much to you, huh." Then I noticed Teto peeking over my shoulder. I almost fell over but managed to keep my cool. I casually shoved my phone into my skirt pocket and looked at her.

"Not skating?"

"Eh? Oh, I am. Just not now."

We sat in silence.

"Soooo..." Teto began, grinning, "Yeah."

I smiled back politely. Teto and I aren't exactly best friends. Don't get me wrong, I like her as a person. I just don't consider us as buddies or anything. We don't really talk. We're just... yeah.

Just yeah.

Okay. To be honest, she's just plain _awkward_. When you're commenting to her about how nice the weather is, you're suddenly in a conversation about which dudes in our grade could become a future underwear model. And when you're looking at her site blog, you log off forty minutes later feeling sick because of the yaoi overload.

"... It's snowing outside, isn't that cool?"

"... Huh? Oh yeah, it is."

"..."

"..."

"..."

This conversation was getting nowhere fast.

Let's face it, she's pretty and athletic, but underneath she's random, awkward and somewhat perverted. But as I said, I do like her as a person.

Teto got my attention by tapping her skates together. "I meant to convey my apology through words, but Rin already understands." she looked at me seriously. Before I could say anything, she cut me off, "Let's just say I know something that I probably shouldn't. And weirdly, I'm not freaked out." she sighed and played with a curl, "Maybe it's because I'm me, but I feel like spilling my guts. Lemme do that, 'kay?"

I nodded. I didn't really know what she was talking about but listened.

"I've realized just yesterday how wrong I was about Rin," Teto said, "When I heard she hurt Luka, I got so mad..." She tugged her hat down, hiding her expression, "Look, I... I love Luka. Not so much in the lesbian way though she is pretty hot, and-" I cleared my throat uncomfortably, "-but let's face it... Rin wouldn't hurt anyone intentionally. She's Rinny-boo for Lord's sake. But I haven't been doing a good job of acting like a friend."

"I know what's happening now, Kagamine-kun: Rin can't help being the way she is. She... she's trying so hard to let everything go, but it's like she's distracting herself." There was a hidden meaning in her words. "This... VOCALOID or whatever professor Gakupo pronounces it, I don't see her like that at all." My arms tensed. She knows! I was about to spring away until I realized the grin on her face: she wasn't planning on telling anyone. "Anyway, I'm glad Luka came up with the sleepover idea. I get it now," She smoothed out her overalls, "And I've decided: I'll root for her no matter what." Flashing me one last grin, she skated off.

"How am I supposed to balance on such thin pieces of metal!" I spotted Utatane trying to teach her to skate.

"Rin-chan, don't be scared! Just start off nice and easy..." Rin pursed her lips, trying to maintain balance but landed on her butt. Trying to stand up again, she lost her balance and fell on her stomach.

Her skirt blew up.

"HYAN!" While she was on the verge of crying, Me, Utatane, and a couple of other boys were on the verge of nosebleeds.

"H-Hey, don't cry!" Utatane quickly recovered, helping her up and seating her next to me on the bench. They apparently didn't recognize me. "Maybe you need a break. In the meantime, I'll get us something to eat." And he headed towards the concessions.

I looked at Rin. She was clearly upset. I decided to do something about it. Getting up, I slowly went on the ice before looking back at her.

"You coming?"

She blinked at me with a confused expression, "I don't know how."

"I'll teach you," She stared at me, unsure. "Hurry or I'm leaving you behind."

"W-Wait, wait!" Not really listening, I dragged her into the rink. Her legs slid all over the place and she held onto me for dear life. I ignored the fact that she was squeezing the life out of my arm. I looked down to see her scared face and decided to try something just for the fun of it. I slid forward quickly and Rin, who wasn't ready, let out a surprised squeak and was dragged forward.

**Bad idea.**

Not knowing how to stop the skates, she ran right into me, and both of us toppled onto the icy floor- Rin on top of me.

"Ow!" I landed on my back. Hard. Rin started apologizing frantically, bowing. She stopped when I pulled myself up. "That was my fault. Trust me." Sighing, she tried standing but wobbled and ended up with her face planted against my chest. Frightened, she wrapped her arms around me and in hopes for balance. I wasn't prepared for this and felt myself falling backwards.

This was the second time she dragged me down with her.

"Ugh!" The pain returned to my back. I swore I heard something pop. Rin quickly scrambled off me.

"I'm so sorry, miss! Are you hurt?" Kicking off her skates, she carried me to the bench. She checked for injuries, still apologizing. I rubbed the sore spot on my back and found another hand rubbing there gently. I turned to find Rin's worried face.

"I can do it." I tried pushing her hands away, only to have them return to my back.

"No. Please let me help; this is my fault anyway." she whispered and knelt closer to me. Her hands skillfully kneaded out the sore knots I felt, relieving me of past stress. I sighed in pleasure, leaning against her.

"It shouldn't hurt anymore now." She said and stood to her feet. I sat up, slightly dismayed that she stopped her ministrations. She then left to join Piko.

* * *

_"Grandpa's mad at me for knocking over his violin so I'm hiding." The girl told me, nestling in the grass. She smoothed wrinkles from her dress. Her bunny lay beside her. I stared; I just met her five minutes ago and already figured she was a troublemaker like the kids in nursery. Flecks of gold glimmered in her hair._

_"Just say 'sorry' and 'I love you," I suggested, scooting beside her. "That's what I do when my Mommy gets mad at me. And then I bring her flowers."_

_She crinkled her nose in disgust. "Why do I gotta that? It's not my fault." she shook her head stubbornly, "Nuh uh! That dum-dum's the one who ran into me! He's should say sorry!"_

_"Who's 'he?"_

_"Oh, my friend," she 'hmphed', waving her hand in dismissal, "but he's been making me grumpy all day. I don't like him." My annoying bangs fell into my eyes, and I had to blow so I could see._

_"So where do you live?" I asked, "Is your house a couple blocks away?"_

_"Nope. Grandpa does though; Mommy and I are just visiting him. I live in a different... er, compliment, I think... it's called... um, Eugene?"_

_"I think you mean 'continent' and 'Europe."_

_"Same thing," she shrugged before beaming. A strange feeling welled up in my chest. It felt... fluttery. I shrugged it off; I think I ate too many of Meiko-nee's cookies. "I really like it here! Japan is cool~ all I do is play, and it's great!" Her body fell to the grass as she spread her arms out, giggling noisily. __"So Len... what's your cell like?"_

_"My cell?" I looked at her, confused. She grinned._

_"You know what I'm talking about, silly. Your cell; it's dark and sometimes you get really cold." Her smile dropped, "And... all that's there is silence. Your ceiling stares down at you and the walls look like they're closing in..." Her fists clenched the skirts of her dress as her face began darken, "and sometimes... Mommy and Daddy make you stay there for so long you're not even sure what day it is," her voice dropped in volume, "... 'cause you've been in there for so long." she then grinned (she didn't look as happy though), "But I bet yours is cooler than mine. At least you can see outside, right?"_

_I looked at her, slightly afraid. W-What is she talking about? Mama would never do that; she's always making sure we're visiting different places everyday._

_She looked at me, noticing my lack of answer, "Mommy says every parent puts their child in a cell 'cause they're sick. Like me." Her confused eyes searched mine, "You're like that too, right?"_

_"I don't..." My voice sounded oddly high, even to me, "have a cell."_

"...kun! Quit daydreaming, Len-kun!"

"Huh?" Mom stood over me, poking my shoulder. Being brought back to the future, I realized where I was: '_Köstlich_'*****. Apparently, this happens to be a 3-star gourmet restaurant near the coast. The atmosphere was light and casual. People here were dressed formally, chatting and clinking wine glasses. A string quartet played near the planters where we huddled against, ignoring the stares employees gave us. After reserving seats, Mom pushed me and Megurine at a table several feet away from where Rin's and Utatane's table.

"Keep on eye on them; I need to use the ladies' room," Mom whispered, "If he tries _anything_ on Rin, call me..." she made a 'I'll-slit-his-throat' motion before running off. Megurine and I sighed, leaving us to eavesdrop on them.

"_Köstlich_? This is... a German resturant!" Rin gasped in astonishment as she spun around and took in everything around her. She barely noticed Utatane pulling her chair out from behind and sitting her down.

Utatane sat in the seat across from her. He grinned proudly, "You mentioned you're from Germany. So I wanted to take you somewhere to remind you of home. Do you like it?"

"I do!" Rin nodded with a smile, "But in all honesty, I've never been there."

"Really? Hm..."

"But I'm not confident we should eat here." Rin said, "This place looks expensive, and going so far to... oh, I even forgot my money!"

"Rin-chan, I want to treat you like a princess." he said, smiling, "For today, don't worry about anything. I'm going to consent to your every need! And...," Shyly, he reached over and took her hand in hers. Seeing that immediately made me stiffen. "Being with you makes me feel like the luckiest guy in the world."

My eye twitched.

Oh no.

Oh no no no no no no NO.

I found myself running over with my insides on fire. I scowled. Okay, Utatane, you wanna flirt with her? Fine! But first you gotta get past me...! I grabbed the steaming plates from the waiter who was about to serve their food.

"So _sorry_ for the wait!" I screeched in my best annoying, glass-breaking falsetto voice. They jumped apart as I practically slammed their plates down, making the entire table shake. "We have a lot of customers, so it's, like, really hard to keep track of who's waiting for how long or whatever~~!" I continued giggling like an annoying girl.

"It's..." Baffled and slightly annoyed, The albino stared at me, "...fine."

Rin blinked in recognition. "Oh! Aren't you-"

"GOLLY! So, like, where are my manners?" I waved my hand dramatically like a fan. "You guys, like, make the most handsome couple~ tee hee! So this calls for the romantic scent of-oh my gosh~ roses!." I whizzed away and came back, switching the single petunia on the table with a gigantic vase of roses, blocking each other's view. Sharp branches poked at Utatane's face, making him draw back further.

"Um... miss-"

"No need to thank me!" I flashed them a disgustingly sweet smile and flounced back to my table where my friends gaped at me.

"Wow," Meiko said, "Just... wow."

"Nice touch of feminism there," Teto grinned, "Lucky your momento's been captured." she held up her camcorder. I immediately grabbed for it. "Whoa-_ho_! Kidding! Loosen up some!"

"When Rin-chan gets romantically involved with other dudes, of _course_ Shota has to get involved. Even if it means crossdressing." Kaito snorted in amusement, flicking his hat.

I crossed my arms and leaned against my chair, "I only did it because he looked suspicious... I mean, honestly, holding her hand like that has to mean something." Okay, so I promised myself I wouldn't overreact during this fiasco, but seriously! It _did_ look suspicious!

Mom came rushing back at us. "Did I miss anything? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. Thanks to Len." Meiko grinned.

And somehow, we ended up having lunch here. Mom cashed everything to Dell's credit card. This is an emergency, she told me with a sly wink. I grinned back.

"I'm stuffed." Teto patted her belly before sprawling against her chair. She let out a loud blech.

"That was hot." Meiko grinned. We all laughed. "...Meh, gotta pee." she got up, and Luka joined her. Mom was giving Utatane the hawk-eye as they ate in silence (Thank God). Kaito, being bored, went off to buy parfait. I was left alone with Mom.

"So far, the atmosphere is strangely peaceful... that boy doesn't look like he could hurt a fly," Mom laughed lightly and smoothed out her wig. "Maybe I was wrong."

I nodded before murmuring, "... Am I weak, Mom?"

Mom looked at me confusedly, "Weak? You're in soccer."

"I mean emotionally." I looked at the ground, "I... try to be tough, but I'm just a pushover. I get overly sensitive and take things personally. I mean... just look at me," I sighed in frustration and tugged at my disguise for emphasis. "Just... why can't I be like Dad? Why can't I be a man?" Mom flinched, and for a moment, I thought I saw her pained expression. But when I looked again, it was gone.

"Now what's wrong with being a sweet boy who's smart, caring, and has leadership?" Mom demanded softly, nudging me, "You're already growing up too fast."

"But mom," I protested, "Remember how whiny I was when I was little? I always cried and hid. I wanted attention. But now... I want to better myself."

"And you will, in time." Mom replied, "Sonny boy, you forget whose son you are: mine. Trust me, you're gonna turn out the best of them all." I pulled my skirt lower to conceal my legs. Then I saw Rin again. She was smiling and conversing with Utatane about pointless things.

"Mom..." I started, my heart skipping a beat. Oh hell, she's my mom. She has a right to know, "I think I have feelings for Rin."

Mom sipped her drink, "Tell me something I don't know."

I turned to her, shocked. "What? How could you..."

Mom gave me a long look. "Really. I may be blonde, but don't take me for an airhead." she said, "I'm your mother. I know these things. Aside from that, you're too easy to read~ everyone knows about you and Rin-chan."

I stared at the ground, embarrassed. So... Mom knew before I did? Wow. But wait, what does she mean everyone knows? Does that mean... Kaito, Meiko, Dell, my friends...

They all knew?

"Oh so this is what it's about! You're worrying about being the right man for Rin-chan~!" A jolly, wholehearted laugh escaped from my mother as she leaned against her chair, "Aw~ how sweet."

"N-No, I'm not!"

Mom clucked her tongue and braided my hair extensions, "You're a chip off the old block; you're both shy romantics." she giggled slightly, "The day he asked me to marry him was such fun. So many accidents happened...~" I became quiet. Mom wouldn't admit this, but she obviously missed Dad. "Despite how much time has passed, you remind me of him so much...," she sighed and wrapped her arms around me, "He wasn't always so serious; he could still make me laugh. And..." Something told me it pained her to keep talking about him like this.

"Mom... do you still love Dad?"

Her reply was a watery smile. My tongue lay limp in my mouth; I had my answer. She then changed the topic, "It's fine, Len-kun. Society expects boys to grow up as a strong, brave, unfeeling men, but that shouldn't be the case. It's fine to express insecurities." Mom winked at me knowingly, "I can bet your month's allowance Rin loves you the way you are."

"But... what about Miku? How do I feel about her? And why does it have to be Rin? She's a cyborg and..." My voice faltered. (Mom knows my history of crushes. Don't ask me how.)

Mom smiled, "You tell me."

"I..."

Just then, we saw Utatane lightly grip the table. "Rin-chan, let's dance." he suddenly said, pulling her up towards the dancefloor. My senses were fired up again.

"B-but, Piko-kun, I don't know how..."

"To be honest, neither do I."

Other couples there were waltzing and smiling. When they saw Rin and Utatane, they started whispering how cute they looked together. Being inexperienced, they stiffly placed their hands on each other's shoulders and swayed to the music. They didn't look too bad though, aside from stepping on each other's toes. At least Utatane's hands weren't wandering.

..._But_.

I zoomed over there and pretended to fall. "Ooops I slipped~!" A startled Utatane caught me. "Thanks! I nearly ruined my skirt." I giggled in falsetto. "Anyway... I'll just be taking this~!" I grabbed Rin and twirled her away.

"E-Eh, wait a-!" she gasped in half-shock, half-confusion. Correcting our position, I enjoining our hands together while moving her other hand on my shoulder. I then placed my free hand on her lower back and led her in a slow, smooth pattern easy enough for her to follow. She tensed, trying to look for Utatane while wiggling out of my grasp. I pulled her close, whispering in my normal voice.

"Calm down. It's not like I'm not kidnapping you." Immediately, Rin looked at me, puzzled. I grinned in relief, bringing us face-to-face. "I've been saving this dance for you... Princess." Her eyes widened.

"What you just called me now...oh!"

Huh. I'm actually thankful Mom had me take those ballroom lessons in fifth grade.

Our feet moved across the floor. And soon, Rin's confidence grew; she actually started enjoying herself. She laughed every time I dipped her. Utatane was nearby, trying chase us without creating much of a scene. Rin laughed for the fifth time as I spun her. I grinned. Never mind the fact I was dressed as a girl crashing their date, I'm enjoying myself.

Her eyes glowed to the point where they started becoming moist. Her cheeks were pink from our proximity and movements, and she trembled with excitement.

I've never seen her so happy.

And to think... I'm the one who's making her appear this way. I felt my lips grow a huge smile. I started laughing along with her. Violin music rushed through our ears and lights glowed all around us. The people became nonexistent as Rin and I danced.

Her laughter filled my eyes as she kept smiling at me.

I smiled back.

At that moment... life was worth living.

"You remind me of someone." she told me, slightly panting as we slowed to a waltz.

I rose a brow, "Who would that be?"

Rin suddenly became all shy. She nearly tripped over herself when stuttering, "His name is... Len."

My interest grew. I cleared my throat, "R-Really?...huh. Sounds like a cool guy."

Rin blushed. "He is, and he's amazing too. He opens people's hearts by accepting them. He likes singing and doing all sorts of fun things. He also thinks things through most of the time... It would be nice if I could like that."

"You think he's like that?" I asked, lowering my gaze. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "What if he doesn't think so himself? What if... it's an imitation to cover up the rest of his flaws?" How could Rin speak with this amount of prideful affection? Why is she so proud of the person I am? I'm just a weak, ordinary kid who gets in people's ways. I can fight, but only at a certain degree. Otherwise, there's nothing I can do. "He's probably conceited and clueless, not to mention it gets annoying when he's aggressive... You're making him sound like he's all that."

Rin tilted her head. "Of course he isn't perfect. I know that. But that hardly matters."

My eyes widened, "Why not? I mean...," I looked down, sighing, "He has insecurities."

Rin looked at me carefully. Cautiously. "... And how would you know that?"

"W-well, that's just how guys are! They want to be seen as manly!" I blurted as we slid across the perimeter. "This guy, Len... he wants to be able to protect his home... the people he cares about," I looked at Rin, "Don't you want someone... who's actually strong enough to protect you?"

Rin's eyes were locked on me, never leaving mine for a second. Then she smiled. "I don't mind being drawn to a person who feels the same vulnerabilities as I do." My ears collapsed at what I was hearing. "I'm not strong either." We waltzed past an elderly couple, "And I can relate to him because of that, and he makes me feel less lonely. And... well, I'm sure we can grow strong together. Stronger than anyone else in the world!" She proclaimed with unusual confidence. "That's my greatest hope."

I looked at her, dazzled.

"Rin, I-"

Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder. "May I cut in?" Hell freezed over. What the hell is _he_ doing here?

Rin looked over, eyes widening. "Mikuo-kun? What are you doing here?"

"I work here," Hatsune smiled, gesturing at his uniform. He turned his head to smile slightly at us before glancing back at them. "Sorry, am I intruding?"

"Not at all. I'm happy to see you!" Rin replied eagerly, "You weren't here yesterday. What have you been doing?" A mysterious smile crept on Hatsune's face.

"Just business." I crinkled my forehead in suspicion. Somehow, he looked weird. It was like he was hiding something. "But anyway, Rin-chan, would you do me a favor..." Leaning close, he whispered something in her ear. I frowned. I didn't like this secrecy, especially when Rin's eyes grew huge and teary for a moment. Hatsune reeled away, appearing cheerful. "Understand?" Rin blinked before looking down with a mournful smile. Her bangs fell into her eyes.

"Yes."

Utatane rushed up with his eyes flashing between the three of us. He frowned slightly. "Um, excuse me. But if you don't mind, I'd like to have my girlfriend back." Isn't it weird how he was looking at me when he said that? I mean, seriously. What did I do?

Oh _right_.

"Girlfriend?" Hatsune looked amused, "I see. By all means, take her. I need to get back to work anyhow." He waved goodbye before winking mysteriously at Rin, who in turn, looked away from him. Suspicion built up in me. Why did Rin's mood drop all of a sudden? Was it because of what Hatsune whispered in her ear? Something didn't seem right.

Hatsune then turned on me. He smiled politely, charmingly. "You look awfully familiar." There was a twinkle in his eyes; I gulped. Somehow, there was something _knowing_ in his look.

"Ahahaha~" Sweat glistened at the base of my forehead, "Y-You must have me mistaken for someone else." I immediately bolted out of there and rushed to my table. I sighed in relief.

So close.

Trembling, I looked at my hands before falling into my chair.

She... accepts me. Fully. She knows the flaws I have and yet, she looks past them. I've always felt pressured to appear strong and calm, to not show tears or break down. To be honest... I really hate myself. I hide my insecurities behind a mask. I act nice even when I don't mean it. I get good grades but I cheat sometimes. I'm pretty good at soccer, but I'm in second place.

Then I recalled me and Rin's dance. I remembered her words.

_"Of course he isn't perfect. I know that. But that hardly matters."_

I always try to be perfect.

But Rin sees right through me.

Rin is willing to cling to someone to someone like And at the same time, she doesn't deny people are as weak as I am. Then I realized: it doesn't matter if she's a cyborg or not; I've always seen her as a person. She's more than just the VOCALOID to me. She's a living person who breathes, walks and talks.

I don't think Kaito, Meiko-nee, the others... or even Miku can relate to me. Out of all of them, Rin was closest.

I looked outside and witnessed two children: a boy and a girl, dressed in fancy clothes, played outside on the sandy beach. Then I saw something else.

_Mom is at work. Kaiko-nee won't play with me and told me to hang out with Kaito. But Kaito hates me. And I hate him. Tears fell onto my lap, wetting my shorts. Rocking back and forth on the dock, I closed my eyes. Being here is my sanctuary, I love playing here. At least the waves are friendly._

_A grinning face appeared, "What's with that sad face?" She had that lively glint in her eyes which told stories of mischief. __The sun was setting behind her, casting an evening glow. For that moment, she looked like an angel. My heart lightened seeing her before my cloudy mood returned._

_"My mom doesn't love me." I sniffed._

_"Whaaaat? Why?"_

_I sniffed again, wiping my eyes. It was embarrassing to cry in front of girls. "Kaito says she doesn't wanna pay attention to me 'cuz I'm always crying. I-I'm not a man," Hiccups escaped from me, "So nobody loves me."_

_"What? That's a lie!"_

_"No... it's not."_

_She drew away, puffing her cheeks, "Well... well then, fine! I'll love you!"_

_I looked up. "You will?"_

_"Yup, I'll love you with all my heart!" she proclaimed, "And we can get married like my Mommy and Papa! Grandpa can help, and everyone'll be invited! Even Lily! Even though she's a meanie."_

_I stared, blushing, "So... you'll be my bride?"_

_"Sure~! And you can be **my** bride!"_

* * *

**Rin's POV**

"Are you sure you don't need me to walk you home? I mean with traffic and all, it might be hassling." Piko-kun looked at me with concern as he walked me to the stop.

"I am fine, Piko-kun," I insisted, "Don't trouble yourself on my account. I understand how testy your grandmother becomes when you're late for vocals." The date had come to an end. I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. After all, today was fun. That strange girl I befriended was amusing too. But it seemed wherever Piko-kun took me, she and her friends were there.

Peculiar, I thought.

Piko-kun smiled apologetically, "Sorry to leave you like this, Rin-chan. I had a great time today." I smiled back and nodded. "Um... before I leave, I want to give you something. Can you come closer?" Puzzled, I did so. Quickly, he pecked my cheek and ran off. But not before he spun and waved at me one last time, "Bye, Rin-chan!"

I was too stunned to wave back. I lightly scrubbed the spot where his lips touched. Len and Mikuo-kun are the only ones who've kissed me. I wasn't certain how I felt about Piko doing so as well. I-It felt strange, foreign... unnatural even.

Shaking my head, I let my arm drop and glanced over the horizon. It looked grey, clouded with fog and snowflakes. The cars purred by and left a breeze. I shivered. Wrapping my arms tightly around myself, I headed for the beach docks. I watched the rolling waves spilled against my feet, erasing my footsteps.

The ocean's pungent, salty smell flared my nostrils. I licked my lips, tasting the tangy breeze. In a way, this was soothing. I felt at peace. Staring out into the ocean, I heard faint laughter.

"Nostalgic," I murmured.

"Isn't it?" A voice chuckled behind me.

**Ba-thump.**

My chest tightened, and I turned to find Mikuo-kun overlooking the water with a content smile on his face. My blood boiled seeing him. "The coast is a nice place to relax; you can forget your troubles here." He bent down picked up a fairly small rock before chucking it at the water. It skipped across the surface.

I glanced back to the horizon, "So that's why you asked me come here. To see this beautiful place."

Mikuo-kun maintained a cheerful expression, "I think... you know the real reason, Rin-chan." My smile fell as I looked away.

"...Yes."

Footsteps crushed the gristly sand. I felt his prescence behind me.

"Do you remember now? About what's happened?"

Slowly, I shook my head. "I... remember most things, but it feels unfamiliar. It's as though those memories don't belong to me; a dream. I was sick and... locked away in a dark room for a period of my life," My face tightened at the memory, "I-I remember my father and mother were in charge of a business which produced... unique creations." My voice grew quiet, "And I was one of them."

"You're on the right track," A strange smile appeared on his face. He paused before asking, "Is that all?" I slowly nodded. "I see... then allow me to tell you a story." Listening, I sat down at the pier reaching for the sun. "Our story begins when a brilliant man, Takashi Leon, takes heir to his family's company, 'Crypton Media Future'. He had a vision; he wanted to perfect the world in his own ways. Thoughts of clean energy and surgically enhanced beings inspired him," he continued, "Miriam, his beautiful and compliant wife, dutifully supported him. Her affiliation is British but she was raised in Germany to become a singer. However, she abandoned that dream to prove her loyalty to Leon."

"This story... is about my parents?"

Mikuo-kun smiled and shook his head. He continued, "Soon, their child was born; a baby girl. They immediately loved her the moment she breathed. All seemed joyful... _however_," he paused, "They discovered an unknown, life-threatening illness inside her which affected her years to come. By her fourth birthday, they sent her to ninteen hospitals for treatment, nothing helped. Leon then took matters in his own hands. Determined to erase his daughter's sickness, he ignored the rest of his company's main project and spent money and time to develop a cure." he said, "Long, frustrating months of work led him to paranoia and temper outbursts." My breath fell short as I realized how familiar this story sounded.

"The child was completely shrouded from the world. Most of life was behind locked doors. She was very lonely." I looked at Mikuo-kun in wonder. "When she turned seven and received a birthday present from her parents: a friend... in other words, me."

My eyes widened. An obscured image of a boy replaced Mikuo.

"Mikuo-kun... you're..."

Mikuo-kun nodded solemnly, "Yes. Rin and I knew each other back then as children. I am the VOCALOID protype; my purpose was to serve you and make you happy," he said, "We always played together... and we were close." he closed his eyes, "But let's continue; Miriam, tortured with guilt at her daughter under Leon's influence, took both children and escaped to Japan where they could reform their lives. Rin was so happy that she gradually regained strength; she soon became strong enough to run again. All was well for three months, until..." His face became strained, "Until she met another boy."

Another boy?

Blinking, I envisioned a little boy with a puckered face, flaxen hair, and teary eyes.

_"Rin!"_

"She eventually forgot about me and played with her new friend. Like tossing away a ragged toy," he muttered, "She'd... found her first love." Glancing at me, he said strongly, "I watched them grow close. How they would hold hands and share imaginations. I didn't mind so long as she was happy. But then something happened."

Somehow, I was picturing this story. His words became images, and images became memories.

My memories... flowing into me like a river.

"Other companies hated Crypton Media Future. Its CEO spoke slander and humiliated them by topping their products. Feeling dishonored, they sought revenge against Rin... and she was killed."

_Blood started to seep through her dress, staining its white attire. Blobs of red liquid began to run down the side of her head, even her grin was tainted crimson._

I gasped, staring at him. But... I'm...

"But Mikuo-kun, I'm right here! I'm alive! How can I be..."

"And that's all I'll reveal," Mikuo said softly, closing his eyes. "The past is complicated and tragic... it's time you discovered them for yourself," Reaching over, he grasped my temples. I crinkled my forehead in confusion. What is he-

An electrifying movement suddenly rushed through my head, making me see stars.

_"I hate you! You're the reason why I'm miserable here!"_

_"Rin, we'll get in trouble! If your father sees us sneaking out again, he'll...!"_

_"I hate you, Daddy!"_

_"Come, sweetie, it's only a needle... it won't hurt. Much."_

_"I regret giving birth to her..."_

_"Her blood circulation is acting up; she's getting angry..."_

_"The wires are breaking! Someone sedate her!"_

_"Stay still! This is for your own good!"_

_"Our rival companies will hurt you if we're not careful. That's another reason why we can't let you attend kindergarten, sweetheart. Maybe next year."_

_"Please! Let me go outside! Please!"_

_"No, please, don't...! NOOOO!"_

_"Forgive me, Rin...I love you. Please forgive me."_

Everything... I remember...

_"__**Our eyes meeting, with a certain look, within a caged up world…**_

_**Pretending not to know. But even so, my spark of interest might be seen.**_

_**Burning, my heart.**_

_**I won't show it, and grow fear.**_

_**Deep breaths that you can feel, make you have quite a shock…"**_

_Gentle, melodic lyrics echoed in the room. A woman, who was singing tenderly, carried a young girl in her arms, rocking her in the chair they shared. The girl struggled to keep her eyes open and yawned. A boy, who looked around her age, sat on a stool beside them and watched._

_"Sing another, Mommy."_

_Mommy smiled, stroking her hair lovingly. "Tomorrow. It's past your bedtime."_

_That girl pouted. She mumbled something and shook her head, "But I'm wide awake... see?" Mommy chuckled and vaccinated something strange into her skin. "Why does Mikuo get to stay up?"_

_Mikuo smiled, "That's because I'm mature, unlike Rin."_

_The child scowled at him, her consciousness wavering. "I am too...! I'm a mature lady."_

_"Of course you are."_

_"...Bleh."_

_Mikuo waggled his eyebrows and shot her a charming smile. She snorted and buried her head in Mommy's chest. Gently and slowly, the older woman lowered her to the bed and tucked her in. Nuzzling their foreheads together, she kissed her small forehead. "Sweet dreams." A smile befell the girl's lips as she slowly drifted into deep sleep-_

_"She's running out of time, Miriam.__" Mikuo spoke quietly. Exhausted and frustrated, Mommy collapsed on the chair, grabbing fistfuls of thick yellow hair. __"She can barely walk. It's even hard for her to eat now." he said, lowering his gaze. "At this rate, she'll-"_

_"**Don't**, Mikuo. Don't say it," she pleaded in a broken whisper, "I__'ve tried everything! Nothing works. Her immune system has gotten worse over the last six months! The chemical compounds we give her aren't helping at all; she's told me countless times that it hurts..." A moan of pain escaped as she hugged herself. The light in her eyes began to fade. "My faith wavers. I've become very desperate."_

_Mikuo looked at her, saddened by her state. "Miriam..."_

_Mommy then smiled, "Desperate enough to change," Her voice sounded strong now; firm; unyielding; determined. "She's lived in isolation for far too long; it's a miracle she hasn't gone insane. I'm proud of her. I really am." Standing up now, she looked at Mikuo with a growing smile. Something bright, illuminating shone on her face: hope. "Tomorrow, I'm taking Rin to Japan. Away from this place. Away from everything here. We'll start new lives from scratch."_

_"M-Miriam... but what about Leon?"_

_A laugh, "It's because of Leon I've never stood up for my beliefs. I loved him, depended on him, trusted him... but that cost me everything. My dreams, my gifts, even my own family," Tears welled up in her eyes, but she chuckled and wiped them away, "I-I have nothing more to lose... but Rin does. I have to correct my mistakes." She lowered her head at his level, __"Will you come with us? You can see your sister again or live with us. You can be free."_

_Mikuo stared, afraid and hestitant, yet hopeful._

_"Free...?" he whispered._

I...

_They disappeared and I gasped to find myself in a dark, cold lab. In the middle of the room was a small body laid across a steel table, no longer breathing. Mommy stood over with her head down. She looked bedraggled, and I noticed tears slipping down her face as her entire body heaved with muffled sobs._

_"See what you've done?"_

_A man came up behind her. His eyes held a certain coldness that could freeze even the brightest of people in their tracks._

_My eyes widened._

_Is that... my..._

_"Father?"_

_They couldn't see or hear me._

_"You never cease to amaze me, woman," Father chuckled as he slicked back his hair, "You decide to run off with our daughter and the company's VOCALOID back to that scum-filled country... only to return, three months later, with. A. **Corpse**." His facial expression darkened. "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU'RE WELCOME BACK HERE?" He grabbed Mommy. She shrieked as she was slammed to the ground, crying._

_I gasped. __"NO! Don't hurt-!"_

_"Irresponsible, IRRESPONSIBLE!" Father roared, pulling out a rifle and aiming it at her head, "YOU COST US OUR ONLY CHILD, SEE? **SEE?** **LOOK AT HER!"** he yanked her by the hair, forcing her to look at the table._

_"I-I know..." she sobbed, "Please, don't...!"_

_Confused, I followed her gaze...o__nly to regret it._

_My hands flew to my mouth as I gasped, retreating away. Now that the light was clear, I could see whose corpse it was: **mine.**_

_Her eyes were still open and overshadowed with death. Her round face and skin: now wrinkly and a disgusting pastel white. Her eyes; mouth; ears; nails; scalp... blood oozed from those points, disfiguring her. Her nose was battered as if someone crushed it. Her joints stuck out at gruesome angles, disfiguring her. You could even see the whiteness of bone. I gagged. My eyes stung at the sight. The worst part was seeing her- or rather **my**, chest ripped open, revealing dried out, putrid lungs._

**_Her mouth hung open as if she were still screaming..._**

_"No, stop!" A boy, Mikuo-kun, rushed to Mommy's aid, shoving Leon off with surprising strength. "None of this was her fault! It's all mine!" He stood, looking at the man with red-rimmed eyes and trembling lips. "Rin... is dead because me. I should've... I could've stopped PowerFx!" he cried, lowering his head, "but that... boy got in the way."_

_Father stared at him before scoffing, "So you accept the blame?"_

_Mikuo-kun nodded silently._

_"Ha... HAHAHHAHAA! WELL HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE! YOU FAILED HER! INSOLENT MONGREL! YOU SHOULD'VE DIED INSTEAD!" Father screamed with fury. His face, purple and throbbing temples, was gnarled in frenzied rage and excitement. Hatred flared in his green eyes, "LITTLE BASTARD I SHOULD'VE GONE AHEAD WITH YOUR SISTER," He aimed his gun and shot Mikuo. Gaping, he momentarily touched the chest wound before his eyes rolled all the way back to his head._

_A body hit the floor. Mommy and I screamed._

_"NO!" We cried in sync._

_"MIKUO!" Mommy rushed to his side, collecting his head in her arms. Gasping tearfully, she shook him. His head rolled back. _

_Father, stripped of the any remaining sanity he had left, gazed directly ahead. A huge, persistent grin remained. "What am I going to do now? My project's gone, my Rin's gone... everything is ruined," He dropped the gun and his eyes brightened, "Wait. Now there's an idea..." he said, licking his lips, "Haha... why didn't I see it sooner? She's perfect!" Then, a strange glint appeared as he glanced at "my" body. "Aha... AHAHA! Brilliant! This is the key! She'll be our finest specimen yet!" Turning to Mommy, he chuckled, " __I'll forgive you this once. But now i__t's time for the final draft of VOCALOID__... join me, love. And promise you'll always stay."_

___Tear-filled eyes met green ones blazing with ambition._

___"Yes, Leon. I... I'll never leave you again."_

___Father gave a predatory grin. He clapped his hands and two robots arrived. "Dispose of him," he pointed at a dying Mikuo. ____I stared, too speechless to do anything. I couldn't move, not even as they dragged him away with a bleeding trail._

"Aagh..." I moaned, clutching my head.

_"You'll understand why I'm doing this." __Mommy stood above me. Her appearance, worn and aged. Her eyes were no longer held a soft glow but were hollow. She was ashen and her cheekbones were gaunt, like she hadn't eaten in days. Her once soft curls were now wiry and unkempt._

_She was a wreck._

_Closing her eyes, she whispered, "I won't have anyone suffer anymore. Because of my own foolishness, people have gotten hurt... or worse." a sob escaped from her, "I-I'm sorry, but..." she closed her eyes and breathed shakily, "I can't let you live."_

_In the mirrors above, I saw myself as a little nude girl. My eyes were open and dilated with green. Several body parts were missing; wires hooked up against my head. Then I witnessed a green smoke edging its corners. It filled the room. I mentally gasped._

_Cyanide gas._

_Mommy, smiling sadly, got to my level, "But I won't have you be alone; we'll die togeth-" __A small hand grabbed her throat. That... hand was mine! I struggled to retract it but to no avail. My body was moving on its own. Her eyes widened in shock as my hand dug into her chest. She let out a choked scream. My fingers wrapped around something warm and throbbing._

_"TARGET LOCKED."_

_No! NO!_

_Blood flew everywhere._

_Tears exploded in her eyes as she screamed._

_I now clutched a throbbing organ in my hand. It was red and portuding with blood. The sight of it made me tense in horror. I wanted to throw up. __Mommy coughed up blood, looking at me with shock, disbelief, and most of all, regret. She coughed again, violently this time as she nearly dropped to the floor._

_My hands ripped into her stomach and-_

_She gave a gasping cry, _"_I'm sorry…!" S__taggering back from the table, she clutched her stomach rolling with blood on her labcoat. She looked in my direction, her beautiful green eyes welling up with tears. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Rin." She collapsed to the ground with a painful smile._

_I calmly strode over to her. My legs twitching with every step._

"_Forgive me…" she held out both arms towards me, "Please forgive me." Defeat appeared in her eyes. She looked relieved yet extremely pained. Trembling, she then collapsed to the floor, smiling._

_Gas filled the room, stealing away her breath. White men, robots, and a blond man rushed in the room, yelling incoherent words. Their screams fell on my deaf ears as I watched the woman below me writhe in a puddle of blood._

_She smiled. Her dying voice rasped out:_

_"...love..."_

The beach returned.

"Oh... ohhh,"

I fell to my knees, eyes shaking. Every part of my body began shuddering violently. My muscles clenched with an overwhelming fear. I looked at my shaking hands. The blood oozing from her open chest and dying her white lab coat, I suddenly felt sick. Remembering her lifeless eyes, I made a strange sound. Something came up in my stomach and I bent over the dock, retching.

Memories of Mommy smiling, holding me, and kissing my forehead filled my vision. My eyes watered. The little girl's screams flashed in my mind.

_"IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR UNFORIGABLE SIN! YOU DID SOMETHING AWFUL! SOMETHING TERRIBLE! YOU'RE A BAD GIRL! AND FOR THAT, NO ONE WILL EVER FORGIVE YOU!"_

My Mother... My Mommy...

I killed her?

"_**I will never forgive you."**_

I killed... my Mommy...!

"No, no... NO NO NO NO!" I screamed, shaking my head furiously, "IT CAN'T BE! **NO**! SHE'S ALIVE SHE'S OKAY SHE'S... ANYONE BUT HER!" My cries rose higher and higher until I could scarcely talk. I felt sick.

My long, piercing cry startled the seagulls, rebounding off the ocean. Mikuo's footsteps were behind me. A pulsing sensation gripped me. Something inside me raced with those painful images. Grunting painfully, I took my pill bottle and consumed a dose.

My Mommy tried to kill me... so, I killed her in return?

Was... was it even worth it? I don't even remember willing myself to do so!

Once I regained more control over myself, I was able to breath. "_Mikuo..._," I gasped in German, gripping the floorboards and causing them to crease, _"Why did you make me remember? Why?"_

___"Because you need to face the truth,"_ I turned around, quivering. Mikuo regarded me neutrally, ___"It's the same with you... so I suggest you stop eating _poison." He nodded at the pill bottle in my hand.

I shook my head, croaking, "_I can't... regardless, Mikuo, how are you still alive__?" _I saw him die.

It was his turn to shake his head, _"Leon should know this: I've already died once. I can't die again."_ he then looked past me.

"Then... have you been lonely all this time?"

Mikuo's smile flickered, "A little."

"So before me... it was you?"

"Originally, it was supposed to've been Miku. We were in an accident caused by Leon; Fatally wounded, I became the protype instead of her... Miriam was reluctant to do so," Hiccups erupted from me; I willed myself to forget her face. Please... I choked out in Japanese. I swallowed back tears. I won't cry, I won't cry.

"Japan... now and then, has been one of my greatest aspects... and I," I pursed my lips, "I don't want that to change!"

A silence. The seagulls cried over the clouds, and I listened to the beat of their wings. I wish... I could fly like them.

"Rin..." Mikuo started, saying my name without 'chan' for the first time, "I'm leaving for Germany soon." Turning to him, my eyes widened. Something inside me hammered. It was as if someone was using my chest as a forge. The thought of Mikuo leaving... back to that madness?

"N-no, you can't," I blurted, shaking my head. In fact, the very thought of having Mikuo gone. Why did it hurt so much?

"_Tell me, Rin, how do you feel about Len?"_

I blinked. My emotions were in a frenzy. What? W-Why is he suddenly bringing this up...

_"I... like him."_

"And... how do you feel about me?"

I stared at the wood below me, sniffling, "I... like you, too." Weight shifted on the docks: Mikuo was sitting beside me.

"Compare those feelings: who do you feel strongest for?"

"... You."

Mikuo smiled in reply, "It's because we're both VOCALOIDs. The chemical pull in our veins react when we're close by each other." He pulled up his sleeve to reveal the open flesh off his arm. Only cybernetic alloids replaced bone structure and cells: unlike mine. As he said, the thing inside me began to pound and the blood rushed to my face. My eyes widened. An unnatural, untrue attraction. "If you look inside yourself, you'll realize who you truly love."

Who I truly... love?

"Love isn't a misconception. Despite its complications, it's actually very simple. Once you stop thinking so hard, the answer becomes clear." I finally looked at him, confused. He chuckled, "Just think about Len." For a moment, I hesitated but gave in eventually. I closed my eyes and pictured Len.

Len smiling, Len playing soccer, Len yelling at Kaito, Len being foolhardy with his friends, Len throwing things at Kaito, Len running away from frenzy admirers...

Len singing me to sleep... comforting me, protecting me.

Len... patting my head and calling me Princess for the first time.

Len laughing when I flew into his open arms, hugging him (even with my legs).

Len looking at me. And solely at me.

Then I remembered memorable moments.

Like the first time Len and I held hands, or when he finally convinced me to eat my vegetables, oh... and when he gave me advice on how to tell this girl I didn't want her profanity around me.

Len and I... first kissing.

And...

_"Ow, ow, ow! Stop, that huuurts!" I snapped my eyes open to find Mikuo no longer there. The sun had set at a later time; the orangeness of evening edged, and the tide was calmer. I then spotted two children ahead on the shore: a boy and a girl. I approached them._

_"Gosh, hold still already," a childish, girlish voice repriminded, "It's not easy for me either."_

_The boy sniffled, "B-But you're really hurting me, Rin."_

_"Hush puppies! You just gotta deal with it." WHAP._

_"OW! RIIIN!"_

_A giggle._

_My face softened at this sight. That girl was me, wasn't it? Wearing Grandfather's hat and dress? And that boy... his face was obscured for some reason, but his voice was familiar. __Somehow, this felt nostalgic. I observed them from just standing here, though they didn't appear to notice._

_"See? All better?" My child self proclaimed with pride, patting the bandage on her friend's battered knee. He grumbled, looking away from her. "What? Oh, c'mon! I already said sorry even though it's not my fault. You're the one who's clumsy."_

_"N-Nuh uh! I'm not!"_

_"Are too!"_

_"Are not!"_

_"Are too!"_

_"Are not!"_

_"Are too," 'I' puffed, glaring at him. The boy sighed, acknowledging defeat. He then got up and walked to the shore. Curious, my child self followed. "What're you doing?" she asked when he pulled out a glass bottle with a piece of paper inside._

_He looked at her, "Making a wish."_

_"A wish?"_

_He nodded._

_"Write your wish on a piece of parchment and place it in a little bottle. If you let it flow with the sea, someday... your wish will come true."_

_I watched as he set the bottle into the water, watching it flow away._

_"What'd you wish for?"_

_The boy turned to her, smiling. He was blushing, "Heh... no way I'm telling! Or else it won't come true." Just then, I could see... he had Len's face._

"I love Len." My eyes widened, surprised at what I just said. But somehow, I felt as if a huge burden was lifted off my shoulders. I didn't need to think; I just knew. Yes... I don't know exactly when... now I realize. "I... love Len more than anyone... even you," I whispered, glancing at Mikuo, who smiled blandly. A single tear rolled down my cheek, "Even if he doesn't remember... I've always..."

Mikuo shook his head, "Not always. There's one truth you haven't figured out," I looked at him, confused. "Realize how disillusioned your identity is. Understand what I mean?"

Memories of needles, my corpse, and being inside a reactor came back to me.

Then I remembered escaping Germany.

_Oh..._

I hung my head as an unbearable realization came. I see... But I had no energy to act up. I felt too tired: exhausted. I was drained.

"What I once was... I am no longer."

That bright seven-year-old girl who haunted my dreams.

Was no longer real.

Not to me.

_"Now you understand you were never supposed to exist,"_ Mikuo said, _"Like mine. The world doesn't need VOCALOIDs, not us. Blood follows us wherever we go. Your close ones will eventually pay the price."_ My stomach lurched. Somehow, it felt like he was imitating Miku's words. _"Something terrible is coming, and Leon is behind it. If you don't retreat, it'll come for you."_ he said, stepping up to face me, _"Come with me to Germany."_

"But I-"

_"It's important you do,"_ Mikuo stated, _"or do you want Len to die?"_

My eyes widened.

"I..." I stammered, lowering my head, "If I come with you, how long... would it be until I can see everyone again?" I dreaded the answer.

"Most likely, never..." he replied softly, "What I'm doing... has a price: I can never be with Miku again."

There were two choices: I could stay and put Len and everyone in danger... or I could leave, knowing they're all safe but never having to see them again.

I...

Never see Len again?

Never?

Swallowing, I finally accepted the truth. Len could never be mine either way. I love him... but. I won't repeat my mother's death.

"I'll go... Mikuo, but can I request just one thing?" I asked, my voice hoarse. A silent nod was my reply. "I want to stay just a little longer. Before February,"

I want to do just one last thing.

* * *

I entered the train, knocking my head against the window. People around me crowded the space. I was forced to stand.

I spotted the strange girl with her friends crammed against a corner. The girl with long yellow hair was shushing the others and pointing at me. I tilted my head and nodded at her. Seeming alert, she immediately dove behind the wall.

Sighing, I looked out the window.

I felt too tired to cry.

Just then, everything began shaking. People began screaming as our entire cart rocked back and forth. I looked around, panicking.

What is going on?

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw black blurs run past. It was odd; I nearly thought one of them was a...

A robot?

The floor jerked forward, and the train moved even faster. Gasping, people hung on to the nearest thing; family, bars, chairs... what I grabbed onto was the strange girl.

"W... What the hell's going on?" she demanded. I blinked. Her voice... I knew this voice!

"Len?" I looked at 'her' in shock. "Is that... you?"

'She' froze. "Uh..." Speed picked up. Gritting 'her' teeth, she wrapped her arms protectively around me, making me squeak. "That's right, and I've had about enough." In one swift motion, what appeared to be her hair was actually a wig, which was thrown to the ground.

Len.

Screams broke out. Everything happened in a blur. I was separated from Len as people moved around frantically. I became frightened.

"Rin!" I saw him, meters away. He was reaching out to me through the mass of people. I immediately went for his hand, trying to grab it. And just when I touched him, the screams around me intensified, making my ears bleed. Something grabbed me from above, and I was flung into the air.

Only to land on my back. Hard.

I gasped, trying to regain breath. It was difficult though, having this wind. Just then, I felt something sharp against my throat.

"Hello, sister."

I gasped in recognition.

A young woman stood above me, frowning. She was well-kept in shape; clad in a tight-fitting yellow and white silicon armor. Hair flowed behind her like yellow drapery. Her legs were enrapped in tight bandages over her shorts. Around her belt was different types of guns; in her hand was a 14' whip, sparking with electricity.

Her blade sank a little deeper into my neck, barely cutting the skin. Her lips became a smirk, "The others and I have missed you oh so much..."

"Lily."

* * *

**A/N:** Oh pants it's Lily! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! **XD** Jk... this was, like, almost 30,000 words done. Wow. I've reached a new record! *Collapses* BTW GUYS, I created a new popularity poll so you can resubmit your votes: GET IT DONE. Anyway, I love old people **XD**. I really do. They're hilarious. And like Yuki, my best friend still believes in Santa Claus. lol. By the way, if you're wondering why Rin didn't suffoate in the gas, it's because was incomplete; her sense of smell did no good.

By the way... have you realized the biggest truth about? Hints have been dropped so try to decipher it before it comes to light. ;D Some of my most clever readers should figure this out... hopefully.

***Katana:** Traditional blade that Japanese samurai use.

***The Grudge**: THE _SCARIEST_ JAPANESE HORROR MOVIE IN THE WORLD.

***_Köstlich_:** Rough translation for "Delectable".

"Ordinance is but a judicial imitation." - Voltaire.


	22. VoIce

"OMG CHIIO LIVES!"... is probably what you're thinking right now. **D:**

I swear I'm like the turtle of this site (super slow and endearing... gahhh!). I know it's been so long since I've written anything for P:V, but I've been undergoing heavy inspiration issues and story development skills. I'm still feeling pretty insecure about my action scenes, but I've given you guys nothing but my personal best. Mwaha. Still, I'm going to finish P:V no matter what it takes. P:V has come a long way, and it's harnessed my imagination to the fullest. I'd like to thank every single one of you for partaking in P:V. It couldn't be a great story without you all. You guys have made me jump for the moon in ecstasy whenever you give feedback! Ha. This story is like.. two and a half years old? Such youthful days I've missed... not really, middle school sucked.

Moreover, the new poll votes have been cast in like CRAZEH. **Rin Kagamine** is still the lead winner. OMG, like wow. Many of you apparently love Rin-chan to the point where you don't have enough room in your hearts to gloat on the others? GaSP. How selfish! JK. I have to tell you **Teto Kasane** has given **Kaito **the boot. That's right, she's taken third place overall... I bet you already know who's second place coughlencough.

Anyway...

**I won't use First POVS in this chapter** because of the unconvinience of switching them back and forth; all the voices of the characters should be defined in one view for multiple thought processes. Expect this, guys, I'm ambitious to make this a basically humane story where anyone can knew what's going on without continous thoughts flooding the main point of each chapter.

Mind you, there were technical difficulties I had to deal with when working when first POVs; they were extremely liable and limited during action scenes. First POVS were good for emotional feedback in one person, but it's inaccurate to tell how others feel during a certain situation. First POV limits to only one person's thoughts. Basically, I'm going to work with Third omniscent POV.

To answer some of the reviewers' questions on my opinion regarding Project: VOCALOID...

**MIKUUUUS A BITCH! D: Why is she such an antagonist in the story? Do you hate her? **I DON'T hate Miku, and she's not really a villian here. I like some of her music, yes, but that's irrelevant: Miku likes Len and only DISLIKES Rin because of it. They're not exactly friends, but their relationship is still deep in a more confrontal way.

**Where is Len's father?** This wasn't mentioned in the story, but Len's biological father upped and divorced Nami when Len was only five. *ish secreto*

**Holy hell, is this idea based off "Elfen Lied"? **That story's waaay more graphic and weird. Totally emotional, I liked the pain expressed in a beautiful, raw way. Still, I don't get how people connected "Project: VOCALOID" to Elfen Lied.

**Why isn't this a canon manga/anime? This story rocks!** Like the Harry/Hermione pairing... it's popular, but it'll (probably) never happen. It would be an insult to other fans who don't like "Project: VOCALOID" to make it "real". sigh... :D I don't think non-fans of this story would like it to be an official anime, as flattering as the idea is. :) Out of respect, other works should freely conspire at my story's level. If this were to be an official anime, it might spark protests out of how this story ruins the freedom of manipulating Vocaloids in their own stories. Therefore, I'd hope the Vocaloids won't become an actual anime: Vocaloids are already expressed freely without awkwardness of what's "canon".

**people who voluteered to do those doujinshis?** honestly I have no idea. D: Either they died or just lost interest without informing me.

**Lastly, OCC doesn't exist in fanfiction, especially mine. People, the actual Vocaloids don't actually have base personalities. It's hinted, but not entirely canon.**

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy what I've written once again.

* * *

**2:59 AM**

The knife went hurling through the air before clattering off the train and to the railroad. Giant steel wheels obliterated it.

A war whoop roared over the wind. The powerful, unstoppable rage heard in the enemy's tone was enough to evoke a familiar sense of terror and hopelessness in Rin's heart. Yes, seeing her face reawakened a fear she once thought was dead. It was like a child's monster in the closet coming to life. Panic overrode her as she leaped across the train roofs in attempt to elude her pursuer Her face, fingers, nose, and even her toes were frozen stiff. Frost fell in torrents like a white waterfall on the city.

"RIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" A scream ripped at the back of Lily's throat, making Rin shudder in fear. She looked back, regretting her action the moment she saw Lily's face full of dark rage. "FIGHT ME!" She screamed and sent something flying towards her. A glowing whip darted forward. It missed her neck by a few inches. Loud cracks pierced the atmosphere as another battle cry sounded. It was at this time Rin felt relieved to be superhuman. Minutes ago, her throat would've been slit. Icy blasts affected her body every time the whip slammed against the train.

Towering and powerful, she was once a bitter child. A cold, demeaning green gaze replaced her once painful blue eyes that pleaded for love and acceptance. An intimidating, vengeful woman, all that grew from a bitter seed of a once neglected orphan: Lily, her sister.

_"WAAAAH!" Seven-year-old Rin screamed and cried as she was dragged away. Turning to the cages, she wailed at her friends to save her. They only watched, horribly relieved to know they weren't the ones in trouble for once. To Rin, their silence was an act of betrayal. Through the metal corridor, she continued crying. _

_"I told you father would be mad." Lily snapped, paying no mind to her delicacy as she yanked her forward by the arm, pulling with enough force to retract the limb from the socket. "You skipped testing just to see those pathetic wastes?" __Rin only howled. She let her legs go limp and allowing her ankles to be dragged across the floor._

_"They're my friends, not wastes! 'Sides, I don't wanna test! It hurts!" There __was no way she was gonna let them stick needles in her again! Yes. Thanks to Mikuo, she was able to sneak out. She had a big plan: run away into the tropics, bring her friends and have them buy all the oranges in the world._

_But thanks to Lily, her vision was shattered._

_If Rin was thinking at the time, she would've noticed the dangerous glare her sister sent her: a warning that if she pushed too far, she'd be sorry. Instead, Rin sat on her butt, howling and having Lily practically drag her across the floor, earning disapproving looks from scientists and ambassadors from the sister companies. Face flushed, Lily reared and slapped her sister across the face._

_Immediately, Rin went silent. She clutched her throbbing cheek, shocked that Lily struck her. The pain didn't come until she realized what just happened, then her face crumpled. __The pitiful, tortured cry traveled through the corridor, reaching through locked doors and tender ears. Rin was now on the floor, sobbing and rolling around._

_Oh jeez! _

_If anyone could break sound barriers, it had to be Rin. Lily resisted the urge to cover her crying ears, which were throbbing under the influence of the sonic scream. She instead focused on her anger and__ clenched fists, immensely aware of her thinly evaporating temper._

_"I don't have time for this," she ground out, teeth clenched, "you little...!"_

_Just as her hand raised to smack Rin again, something grabbed her wrist. __Enraged at this action, Lily turned and met the face of the Crypton CEO himself. Her blue eyes widened. He looked positively displeased, demeaning eyes scanning her clenched fist to the sight of his biological daughter on the floor. Behind him was the VOCALOID prototype, trying to shield himself from Lily's view._

_"F-Fath-"_

_SMACK._

_This time, it was Lily's turn to clutch her cheek. But this time, the force of her father's slap sent her tumbling to the ground._

BLAM. The whip shot out on her left.

SHLICK POP!

It grazed where her left foot was, snapping against the metal.

Rin nearly sobbed. She was so scared. The cracking of the whip and the fury in her sister's voice made her wish she could be invisible. The icy weather was at the back of Rin's mind. It was the ice queen after her she was trying to escape.

Swinging it around and around, Lily mustered all her strength into quick, powerful hits. Instead of relying on anger, she fueled herself with disciplined patience. Years of training made her tough and agile. Her body felt light and staying on the trembling train was no harder than walking on a beam. Her physical skills rivaled Rin's. She was proud to discover this and soon took the upper hand.

Though graceful, instinctive, and gifted with superhuman abilities, Rin lacked confidence and tact. She couldn't rely on brute strength in her state. Fear overrode her mind, screaming for her to run. She leaped from cart to cart, feet slipping and sliding. Like a frantic deer escaping the lion, her legs worked to avoid the oncoming threat: she had to get far away.

_BA-THUMP. BA-THUMP. BA-THUMP._

Oh mercy, _why_ did it have to be Lily?

A high-pitched scream rippled from her throat as the whip cracked centimeters away from the small of her back, unknowingly forcing a pressure wave onto Lily. Shocked and blinded, the elder sister cautiously fought through.

_"Go away, go away, go away...!"_ Rin whispered shakily, fearing for her life. Her breaths became gulping gasps. Her legs moved faster, but Lily pursued her in heated rage.

_"Coward."_ Lily hissed icily. Taking out a plasma gun, she aimed and fired five rounds. A tremor shook Rin in mid-jump. Her senses heightened. Gasping, she spun and saw green blasts approaching. She landed, twisted into a backbend and saw the slime whizzing above right above her vision. She released her feet in the air and landed backwards, panting and shaking. On her knees, she looked at her hands, terrified.

The haze cleared to reveal the scantily clad woman. Her lips set in a firm line. Her face appeared calm, but her movements were quick and aggressive as she thundered towards her, jerking her arm back and delivering a punch. Rin dodged and slid around her. Lily grabbed her jacket sleeves, controlling her movements and striking her heel. Rin, grunted and sank towards the ground.

Quickly recovering, she slithered out of her coat and delivered a hard jab to her liver.

"URGH..!"

Biting back a hiss, Lily pulled an uppercut. Avoiding this, Rin twirled above her arm and kicked her in the face. Lily resisted clutching her forehead, though she felt a bruise coming on. Both panted wildly. Adrenaline rushing and hearts pounding, they engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Lily's hawk eyes trained carefully on her, watching her every move. As for Rin, she was somewhat hesitant and clumsy when attacking. Instead, she relied on defense. They circled each other now. Both lowering into stances with both hands loose and shoulders brought close together.

Once again, Lily made the first move.

Grabbing her arm, she twisted it as hard as she could. Her arm looked like a twig, but Lily was fully aware of the difficult resistance retracted. Rin quickly kicked her abdominal, following up with an elbow strike landing against the side of her head.

Lily had to grunt when Rin's foot connected with her side, forcing her to bend down. Her rib cracked, and she quickly let go, defensively retreating.

"Rrrgh!" Rin grunted, advancing with her arm curled back. Lily quickly stepped aside. Rin advanced again. Lily moved back. The smaller blonde gained enough frustration to come at her with both fists lowered at her chest. Immediately, Lily knew she was aiming for her jaw and spun, grabbing her shoulders, and driving her knee up her stomach, delivering her own body weight against her. A metallic taste exploded in her mouth. Choking, Rin bent over, giving Lily the opportunity to kick the back of heel and swing her down.

Rin fell, and her head dangled over the moving railroad. Before she could get up, Lily quickly sat on her lower back, locking and pulling her legs towards her to the point where Rin, yelping like a tortured puppy, threw her head back and slammed her fists against the roof, feeling her tendons stretch uncomfortably.

The assault was brutal. Lily didn't think twice before slamming Rin's head against a window, shattering the glass. Not even giving her time to cry out, she remorselessly threw her back on the roof.

To Rin, each blow felt like rocks shattering her skull. Lily slammed a fist against her liver, and she suddenly forgot how to breathe. Then she was yanked to her feet. Lily, stone-faced, snapped a kick to her inner thigh, forcing her forward and delivering a hard jab to her jaw and followed up with a brutal strike to her right shoulder and finished with a hard knee against her stomach, sending her crashing to the surface.

Rin gasped sharply as her head met metal, and a painful, pulsing white washed over her.

_BA-THUMP. BA-THUMP..._

Green slowly pooled her eyes.

_"NO!"_

She couldn't give in. She just couldn't.

Snapping back into reality, Rin staggered to her feet. Her breathing came in harsh gasps as she struggled to clear her mind. A gash formed right above her right eye. Blood gushed from her broken nose, staining her cracked lips red. She felt bruised, battered, and extremely exhausted. She could barely stand. Her stomach suddenly contracted, and bile exploded in her mouth. Choking and swallowing, she immediately covered her mouth. Her eyes watered and nausea reeled in her head.

The wind roared, and the roof shook. Lily watched Rin double over in a violent coughing fit. Everything suddenly clicked. Her lips twitched into a smile.

Haku, that manipulative_ bitch._

Saliva flooded her mouth, dribbling past Rin's lips. The sick girl touched her aching temple. Her body felt feverishly hot all of a sudden. Heavy perspiration shone on her face and dripped down the back of her neck.

What's happening?

Everything suddenly looked obscured. It felt like she was inside a dream. With shaking hands, she found her medicine and pushed open the cork. Trembling, she raised the bottle to her lips and was about to swallow the entire thing until something sharply knocked it out of her grasp. Rin, ignoring her throbbing red fingers watched in horror as the bottle spilled off the train.

"NOO!" she shrieked and furiously turned on Lily, who guiltlessly caressed her long whip.

_"Stand up. Fight."_ Lily ordered, challenging her with an accusing finger.

* * *

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_Project: VOCALOID_

**Chapter 22**

VoIce

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_"Attention all passengers. Attention. All subway stops have closed. Please evacuate immediately. This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill. Evacuate immediately."_

"Miss, I'm ordering you to get back in line-HEY!"  
"Sergeant, are you so weak that you can't handle a little girl?"

"She's stronger than she looks! OOF!"

Roughly shoving past the police, Miku Hatsune booted up her hyper boots and took off after the train. Angry shouts warned her to stop, and it took all her courage to ignore them, hoping they wouldn't come after her. Thirty minutes ago, one of the trains heading northeast was hijacked by terrorists (according to the news). Other people say the system blew up.

Roaring engines blasted above her, and hot air exploded. She glanced up, mouth gaping open slightly. Sleek white machines shot through the air, humming. Their engines flared with blue lights. The machines had no wings, it seemed. To Miku, they looked like flying boxes. They seemed futuristic aircrafts from the sci-fi novel she read during English class, she observed before noticing the lettering across the tails.

CFM

_Crypton Future Media._

A hijacked train with freaky occurrences and Crypton being involved?

That could only mean one thing.

It was Miku's job to put a stop to this problem.

A small hologram of the train systems operated on Miku's electronic gauntlet. Zooming into the runaway train, she scanned its path. It was headed straight for Tokyo. She caught up with the train and launched her grapple hook. Its rippling line caught the railing. She cut through the air, controlling her swinging. Once she rounded with her feet poised, she crashed through the back windows and landed swiftly on the ground.

* * *

_Whispers circulated the tense atmosphere as a nurse pushed a little girl's wheelchair through the white hall. Her teal hair was neatly split in teal pigtails, falling around her face. She was looking down; her injuries looked disturbing for her age: her arm was slung in a cast and multiple scars and bruises imprinted her face and chest. _

_Poor thing, people had said, to see such a young thing wrecked in a terrible crash._

_Miku was unconscious when the ambulance arrived. When waking __up, she realized she was in a hospital. Her doctor gently informed her of the situation. A local truck driver spotted our wreckage and called the ambulance. She was out for hours, and her parents were lucky to survive, but not as lucky as she was. _

_Doctors assured her that Mikuo was no longer in pain. He was in a happier place now. But Miku knew what death was. Those silly words did little to console her. She wasn't in a good state of mind to realize what had happened. She had just lost her brother. __Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes as the truth finally sunk in._

_Miku trembled, fingers closing around the tea cup._

_She should honor Mikuo's sacrifice. If it weren't for him, she'd be dead._

_But why was she so angry at him?_

_Her uncle, Kiyoteru, sat across on a stool across her bed, observing her. Miku was reluctant to tear my eyes away from Mikuo's body (covered in sheets) being rolled away. A warm hand touched her forehead, and she finally turned my gaze. A tall man built for his job, he looked like someone reliable and intelligent. Dark eyes regarded her kindly, sadly. His face was young and compassionate._

_"Do you remember me, Miku?" He asked gently. "I'm Hiyama Kiyoteru, your uncle." Hearing him for the first time, Miku blinked slowly. Her eyes shifted wearily to him, and she struggled to speak. Her body felt glued to the bed. "Don't speak, you're still very weak now. The doctors said Miku-chan needs to rest up before her body is responsive, okay? Oh. Blink three times if you understand."_

_She did as he asked._

_"Here..." He pulled something out from behind him; it was a thick box with a golden M engraved at the top. "I thought you might've wanted this." He gave it to her. Miku gazed at it, silent. It was the music box she and Mikuo shared; the special box which stored their precious memories. __Her vision started to blur as she, sniffling, hugged it to her chest. Then she started crying._

_Envisioning his limp corpse, she knew they wouldn't be able to do that anymore._

_"Mikuo." she finally choked out, tiny shoulders wracking with soundless sobs._

_Kiyoteru gazed down her, eyes full of sadness. Hesitantly he reached out, pausing before gripping her shoulder comfortingly._

_It would another two weeks until Miku could speak again. Kiyoteru never left her side. _

_Uncle visited the singer at least three times a week, depending on his busy __schedule. Auntie and 3-year-old Yuki would visit too, looking for ways to entertain her. Miku's parents often rested; the accident left them even more worn. For her mother, it was worse. Her injuries made it difficult for her to do simple tasks such as walking or cooking. She smiled whenever their relatives visited, and graciously thanked them for taking care of Miku._

_The Hatsunes were no longer a functioning car; four wheels; four family members._

_Mikuo was dead, Mommy lost her strength, and Daddy was in a coma._

_Despite that, Miku found solace in Kiyoteru's family. She looked forward to their visits. She sang for them, and her voice greatly influenced Yuki, the future child singer. They also played puzzles, walked around the hospital garden, and even befriended some of the other patients. Auntie taught her how to bake melon bread from scratch, and little Yuki was always on her lap whenever they played._

_Kiyo-oji, of course, proved to be generous company. Her favorite out of all the Hiyamas, it was the gentle and stern officer. On the days she could speak and walk, he took her to the neighboring islands and taught her how to enjoy the simplest ways of nature: life in its purest form. They went birdwatching to fishing. She still remembered the first birdcall he taught her and how thrilled she was to hear a distant bluebird answer her melody._

___Conversations between them were one-sided and awkward, but he made her happy. He never forced her to speak, rather, he brought gifts like stuffed animals and flowers on his visits. _

_One day, however, he brought up a topic which demanded Miku's feedback, whether she liked it or not._

_"I know the people responsible for your brother's death, Miku-ch__an." The book in her hands was long forgotten as she stared at Kiyo-oji. Birds fluttered past her window where sunlight streamed in the room. He wore a serious face, one that told her to pay attention to what he needed to say. She was already listening once he mentioned Mikuo, much to her distaste. "They need to be brought to justice... and you're the only one who can do so."_

_Miku crawled to her knees, "How?" Her little voice sounded hoarse with interest, "How could Kiyo-oji know?"_

_"Because I'm your uncle, and uncle Kiyoteru is a major snoop." he answered warmly, yet his expression remained serious, "Due to findings, I found several projectiles around your crash site: everything was a set-up. This was no accident." The little diva's eyes widened, not completely comprehending his words. "What I mean is..." he bit his lip, averting his gaze before seriously grasping her shoulders._

_Kiyoteru wasn't sure how to explain to an eight-year-old girl__ that the greatest electronic company in Japan had hired a hitman to kill her, masking the accident as an assination due to his position and explosives target__ing her window). He had already suspected his brother's family weren't involved in an accident. His suspicions were confirmed when several bystanders reported seeing a suspicious man scavenge and quickly leave the site. Kiyoteru then deduced the suspect was trying to cover his trail; he had meant to kill his niece, but Mikuo had somehow perceived the threat and took the bullet meant for her._

_Afterwards Kiyoteru hunted him down to Tokyo bridge. Th__e__ man committed suicide. Before shooting himself, he uttered only thing._

_"Haku made me do it."_

_"Haku" was the name of a very manipulative woman: Yowane Haku. She worked in the same company his brother worked for: Crypton Media Future. She was feared in the psychological field, and evidently her previous patients reported feeling uneasy with her. Conveniently, the man's profile matched his line of work: one of many bodyguards of__ Leon Takashi, the ambitious CEO. He filed the case against them but to no avail; lack of evidence and government corruption prevented Leon's jailtime. Not to mention her ex-husband refused to acknowledge her existence, and the government prevented interviews with him._

_Even so, after connecting the problem there was still one matter he wanted to know._

_Why had Crypton's prestigous CEO, Takashi Leon, targeted his niece?_

_Kiyoteru gazed at the confused child clutching her book. His heart softened._

_Hatsune Miku, a child beauty could not only sing, but she could also dance and participated in leadership activities. She was also very smart for her age, as her teachers often tell her parents. She loved music and science, subjects she did extremely well at. _

_Perhaps that's what grabbed Leon's attention._

_Kiyoteru had spent days in the private affairs of Crypton Media Future, following their updates and scandals with sister companies. Apparently, the man had recently proposed a plan to create a 'perfect' creature, combined with a human base with__ technology. "To build a future by__ improving__ the environmental thinking of mankind,"__ Takashi had stated._

_In th__eory, Leon must've wanted her for something, but knowing her father he refused to getting her involved._

_Gripping her shoulders tight enough to confirm his seriosness but not enough to hurt her, the grown man looked directly into her confused eyes. _

_"You're capable of doing many things; other people don't meet your standards like they should, even grown-ups." he chuckled, shaking his head, "That's why I need your help." Teal orbs widened in slight surprise. Her mouth parted slightly._

_"M-...me?" she stammered in a slow, curious voice. __Blinking, she slowly pointed to herself for confirmation._

_He nodded._

_"There's something only Miku-chan can do."_

_The other patients wheeled past her door, waving to Miku and exclaiming at the sight of her uncle. The roses on her nightstand began to wilt, petals falling to the floor. The girl hesitated, basking the tense silence. She couldn't fathom why her normally sweet and playful uncle looked so serious, especially with his dark eyes glowering slightly, as if he were recalling a bad dream. Still, the girl concluded with an anxious gulp, him becoming seriously usually led to strange occurrences. She felt a strange premonition as she finally asked._

_"What do I need to do?"_

_Little did she know what trouble she'd get herself into._

* * *

The hospital released Miku shortly Kiyoteru taught her everything he knew: that went from combat fighting to criminal psychology.

For years, she's handled long-range weapons and intense discipline training. She could make deductions at a crime scene and take down grown men in fair fights. Technology has been at her side for the longest time like a personal toolbox. Gadgets, traps, medicines, and spy cameras: everything was provided at hand.

Miku's boots crunched against glass bits. She walked past a whirring engine and shouldered her suitcase. A hologram of the train's structure popped up from her wrist. She analyzed the data, thinking. The train was heading southwest Tokyo. Its next stop would arrive in approximately 42 minutes. According to research, she was on one of the fastest bullet trains in Japan. It was even faster than a cheetah.

The secret to bullet trains' speeds are the tracks; these trains run on straight and even tracks which prevent slowing or stopping.

Miku tapped her chin thoughtfully, biting her lower lip.

"Well, what to do..."

Her pager immediately rang, and she snapped out of her thoughts. With a flick of her wrist, she quickly opened it and reported.

"Kiyo-ojii, I'm inside the hijacked train. I suspect Crypton threats holding hostages by using firearms; I've heard gunshots. I'm currently residing in the caboose."

"_What's the situation?" _Like a karate specialist, she kicked open the exit with brute force. A blast of cold air rushed in, making her pigtails resemble snapping ribbons. She squinted through hail and the thick haze of fog.

"Honestly, I have no idea what's going on." She quickly answered. Ice coated the entire train, forming a barricade of icicles. Taking out ice axes, she chipped away the ice on the draw bar before carefully proceeding to the next cart. Miku inched across the rumbling train.

She held her phone with her shoulder, "Something's not right here, Uncle. I have a strange premonition-AH!" she shrieked and nearly slipped, gasping. Luckily for her, she managed to grab onto the door handle before toppling off. "OOOMPF...!"

"_Miku! Are you okay?"_ Uncle asked worriedly.

"Fine! Just fine!" She replied quickly, sighing in relief. Her eyes became slits, resembling a cat's focused gaze. No, She couldn't afford to be clumsy or distracted. She turned the handle and practically collapsed into the cart. She grunted as my body hit the floor, knocking the wind out of me. Gasps erupted as passengers crawled away from her like frightened animals.

Miku cocked her head confusedly. She was unaware of the pair of gray eyes glowing above her. By the time she realized something was dreadfully wrong, a wrathful whirring shattered her thoughts. Her head snapped up just in time to witness something shiny and heavy plunging down.

Out of pure instinct, Miku expertly rolled moved away and narrowly avoided a giant metal fist crushing her skull. It was a robot. Mechanically, it cocked its head before charging at her again. She sidestepped and tripped it, and it went crashing to the ground. Before it had time to recover, she stomped on its neck, blades spiking beneath the heel and decapitating the armor.

Miku pulled out two pistols and fired. The robot jerked before collapsing in a heap. Snow rushed in the cart as two more robots appeared. relentless, they staggered towards her, moving with animatistic ferocity. She aimed and fired.

_BANG BANG BANG. BANG._

Used bullets fell to the rugged ground, followed by two heavy thuds. Soft cries broke the silence. Miku rose and met the gaze of a shaking woman and children, who buried their faces in her chest. She raised a finger to her lips, asking for their cooperation. The woman nodded, hushing her children. She continued looking around, but everyone seemed too petrified to even look at her.

Miku spoke into her phone, "Uncle. I've met with passengers; they're scared stiff. My suspicions are confirmed about Crypton being present," Her eyes shifted over the inscribed lettering over the robots' shoulders, "Project Rin is definitely nearby."

_"Find her!"_ Her uncle's voice crackled unsteadily through the pager, "_If 'terrorists' are hijacking a train because of her, t__he last thing we need is getting civilians involved,"_ Miku agreed. She kicked open the next door, snow plowing in. Her uncle's voice sounded fainter now, "_signal... getting weak..."_ words crackled, _"hurry... investig... f-find out... r-report when poss-"_

Miku held her phone over her ear, "Hello? Uncle, hello? I can't hear you."

_"Don't... activate her m-mode... kill you without hesit-..." _Static began to corrupt the surrounding noise.

"Uncle!"

"_Safe... Takashi-! Don't provoke-"_

The signal went dead.

Miku pulled her phone back, nervously chewing her bottom lip as she stared at the blank screen. She anxiously wondered what he was trying to tell her. She guessed it was about Rin, but what specifically? She moved through the hail, keeping her body sturdy. She switched her boots to gravity mode and zipped from cart to cart.

The train was moving almost five times faster than its regular running speed. At this pace, it would probably crash unless the rail paths switched. She was inside an empty passenger cart. Shadows crept across the room like dark shapes. The chairs looked like still creatures. Peering her eyes towards the rattling cart in front of her. She heard muffled screaming, blasting noises, and shouting cutting through the moaning wind. She witnessed people throwing themselves at the windows with their faces contorted with fear and grief, slamming their fists against the glass and shouting.

Miku gasped and immediately started running towards the door to help. Just then a flash of purple replaced the door and a voice whispered.

"Turn back."

Before she realized what was happening, something hard and spiky rammed against her stomach, forcing a breathless cry. She didn't have time to react as she started falling, only to witness more flashes zip around her. Painful jabs and hard hits drove up her sides.

Miku crashed onto the floor, trying to recollect. Ignoring her pain, she shakily stood.

Panting, her eyes scanned the dark area. Senses heightening, she unsheathed her daggers out in a flash. She cautiously moved around, never allowing her back to remain unguarded.

"You shouldn't be here." Miku tensed at the underlying disgust in that quiet voice. It sounded like a girl. Then she saw something move in the corner, reacting too late. That first punch was a hard shot. She realized this too late when the second uppercut doubled her over and expelled the last of bit of choked air.

Fortunately she was used to it all. Her battles weren't always clean. A veteran of dirty fights on numerous grounds with many opponents, she knew what to expect. Even so, she hated it when someone winded her. She threw several daggers towards her attacker's direction, only to have it slice through empty air before clattering against the window.

In a flash, someone materialized before her. Miku had to hide her shock. Legs enclosed in black tights led up to a grimacing girl with her arms crossed. Her hair glowed a sleek purple, even shinier than Gakupo's. Miku briefly imagined amethysts glittering in a cave as she found herself looking into violet orbs. What interested her most of all was the Crypton lettering encoded on her neck.

The girl simply ran her eyes up and down Miku's figure, then disappeared. Miku didn't have time to gape as she was thrown back. Her shoulders jerked, and she briefly screamed as her pigtails were brutally yanked, jerking her entire body backwards. Warm breath hit her ear.

"Die."

All at once, a sharp, agonizing object knifed through her skin, sending fresh ripples of pain through her torso. Blood seeped and stained her attire. Her body roughly met the metal door. She gasped seeing a long knife whizzing towards her, rolling away just in time. She staggered, hand closing over her wound. The cut wasn't deep, but it was enough to slow her down.

The knife snapped at her again and again, moving like a snake. Miku dodged and swerved its cutting hits, dancing down the aisle with eyes memorizing its jerky movement patterns.

Quickly craning her neck, the blade missed her head by inches. Sucking in breath, she yelled and struck the handle, eliciting a gasp as it clattered to the floor. For a moment she saw the girl's angry face before quickly vanishing. Rapid footsteps rounded her body. The tealette blinked.

Teleportation!

Rats, why didn't she realize sooner?

Ducking, she powered her headset and activated it to heat vision. Through goggles she witnessed a human shape hovered just above her, arms crossed and gripping her knives, she was ready to slice her.

Not.

Huffing, Miku snapped her leg up. A choked gasp escaped as her opponent was sent soaring just seconds before pummeling to the ground. Miku heard a banging noise and winced, knowing her head hit the ground first. A groan sounded as a curled, trembling form slowly materialized. The teleporter was whimpering in pain, clutching her head. Violet eyes cracked open, only to widen as a shadow moved above her.

Miku towered over her threateningly, scowling darkly. Blood wept through her cut, which only added fuel to her anger. She slammed a foot against her bleeding head, eliciting a choked scream.

"A-agaaah!"

"Now then," she started in a smooth, nurturing voice, though the look on her murderous face made the situation ironic. She then growled, digging her heel into her fractured skull, whimpers increasing. "You better start answering some questions before I bash your head in." The girl writhed helplessly but rebelliously. Miku stomped on her bleeding scalp. "Firstly, tell me who you and what your plans are!"

The girl remained silent, quaking like an animal.

"Answer me!" Miku snapped, temper flaring. She used nearly all her weight standing on her head now. Pain surfaced, breaking away other thoughts. The teleporter hissed, and angry tears burned her face. Blood seeped from her head, and waves of excruciating pain hit her whenever she tried moving. Miku's foot poised upwards before slamming against her head.

Pain contorted the girl's face she finally let out a choked cry.

"D-Defoko, Crypton product. Ranking 3rd. P-promoted from... failure." She spat out, head pulsing, and Miku finally paused interestedly. The girl continued gasping hoarsely, "L-Lily! Revenge!" Miku stared down at Defoko, processing the information.

Lily? Revenge?

Her eyes hardened, and she yanked her hair, giving her the same treatment and knocking off the beret.

"Tell me more." she pressed, hardening when Defoko hesitated, "Tell me! Spit it out now! Who's Lily? What are your plans? Is she your leader responsible for putting these people's lives in peril?" She had her answer when Defoko involuntarily tensed, not out of pain but terrified realization. Miku growled, grinding her boot against her scarred scalp while muttering, "Neither of us are getting anywhere. Just tell me. Is this some kind of ploy against Project Rin?"

Pain disappeared from Defoko's face. A dark grin split her features, and she chuckled hollowly before licking her hand, which oozed with blood. She looked at Miku sardonically, "You're smarter than you look, government dog." And with that, she disappeared. Miku gasped before tensing in disbelief and anger.

No! That coward was her only lead!

Ringing broke her thoughts. Kiyoteru was calling again. Just as she was about to answer it, loud creaking erupted from outside, followed by ear-splitting screams that made her flinch. She snapped her head back to the door. Another wave of frightened screams shook her bones, and she grabbed her suitcase, running again. Shoving the doors open, she sprang into the storm. Cold gusts roared in her ears as she climbed across.

Miku took a deep breath, gripping the handle. No matter what she saw she had to be ready. She steeled her resolve and taking a deep breath, she slid the doors open.

**SLAM.**

_Bang. Hiss. BANG._

Miku couldn't stop herself from gaping at the scene before her.

"Decapitate them before they fire!"

Four teenagers fought against a small band of Crypton robots. A woman, clad in red, moved in front of her with a crowbar in hand. Grunting, she roared and swung it like a baseball bat, decapitating a robot. Her eyes widened as the metal head landed at her feet. She continued eying the teens in shock and disbelief.

Miku mentally screamed. If anything, she felt like fainting dead on the spot.

_What is going on?_

Most of all, what are they doing_ here?_

A blue haired boy landed beside Meiko, grinning. "Nice one!" Then a towering robot thundering down the aisle, firing plasma blasts.

"Kaito, take cover!" The said boy stepped aside, allowing Meiko to charge forward. Roaring, she attacked. Another appeared at her back. Hearing heavy footsteps rumble behind, she crouched, spun, and sent a flying kick into its metal torso. It went down with a crash. Trembling and whirring, it tried to get up, only to have its chest impaled by the brunette. Wires split, and sparks parading from its open chest. It shut down.

"N-no! D-don't touch me!" Miku saw Luka being cornered by two robots approached. They stomped towards her. She whimpered and shrank back. "No..." Miku was already moving. Luka, however, screamed fearfully before throwing her arms out and pushing them aside. "STAY BACK! DON'T TOUCH ME!" They stumbled backwards, falling over Teto's crouched back.

Grinning, the impersonating plumber shot up. She slammed her giant hammer against the robots, shattering their heads to pieces.

"I always knew our cosplay company uses the finest weapon material!" Teto announced with a cheery grin, spinning her body around with the hammer and crashing down the aisle. Laughing, her silly, laid-back classmate then started humming the super Mario theme, practically bouncing up and down.

Amongst the violence between robots and brave teenagers, Miku wasn't sure to be appalled or awed by their rebellion. The passengers, even the men, were hiding and clutching their families. People eyed this spectacle in horror and wonder.

Across the aisle, two robots surrounded a blond. He crouched low, he tore his skirt and flung it to the side. Seeing his face, Miku nearly fainted. She pulled herself together and screamed.

"LEN-KUN NO! GET BACK!"

Not hearing her, Len shuffled his feet into a wide position. He rotated his entire body before executing a tornado kick. The other robot reacted by shoving him into the chairs, making him trip. He grimaced and pulled back before kicking against the wall. Then six robots started charging towards him, firing plasma bolts. Len's jaw dropped.

"SHIT!" he screamed before diving under the seats. Miku gritted her teeth and ran to help him.

"Len-ku-!" Len thundered past her, cursing. Six robots pursued him in hot pursuit. Realizing this, Miku stepped aside and squatted before sweeping her leg, tripping two of them. Quickly she rose and stabbed them through the chests, metal bits flying. The other four were still hot on his heels. Plasma bolts whizzed just past his head, barely missing his head.

Either he was a lucky bastard or all those years of athletic training had actually done him some good, Len mentally tittered.

A green-hot blast shot past his head again, grazing his earlobe. He tensed and cursed, scrambling over chairs. Metal feet clanged against the shaking floor, which added to Len's panic. He tripped over a hand trying to retrieve an umbrella. The lady and Len gasped. Her open purse was knocked away, scattering her items. The threat of looming robots mattered more than retrieving her fallen stuff. Screaming, she ducked back under the seats, leaving Len to stare at the cosmetics.

Len grabbed the lighter and a can of hairspray. He suddenly rose with a new confidence. Smirking, he suddenly felt like a hero.

The robots were hot on his heels though.

He vigorously shook the can before spraying it over the lighter's small flame.

Roaring blasts seared through the air. Hungry fire swept over like a red-orange cloud, burning whatever it touched. Finger-like flames consumed the four robots. Len broke into a sweat when he saw them emerging, appearing unaffected. The combustion increased as he sprayed harder.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" he muttered.

The air became thick with heart. Everything felt dry. Screeching sounded, reminding him of vultures. Len broke into a victorious grin seeing the robots crouch and slow, their circuits burning. He laughed before breaking into a coughing fit, the nasty smell of burnt metal filling his nostrils. Robotic armor grew shiny and soft, melting off their now emancipated bodies.

Staggering towards him, their melted arms slowly rose, charging their gun wrist barrels.

HISS. SNAP. _BANG BANG!_

Heads turned to find a teal-haired girl firing at the remaining robots, attracting their attention. She cocked her pistols before rushing across the room like a wildcat. She slid across the floor, shooting at robots lingering above the ceiling. Sparks flew from gaping holes before falling below.

"Holy hell..." Kaito said aloud, gaping like a fish. "PIGTAILS?"

Rotating her body sideways, she flipped over a section of chairs and shot at a horizontal row of robots. Bullets whizzed past. Each shot went clean into the robots. Time seemed to slow around them. Ammunition landed on the floor. Yelling, she spun and whacked a robot with the gun barrel, denting its head. It stumbled.

"HYAH!" she sliced her daggers into its thick chest, and wires frayed. She pulled out and kicked its dead weight to the ground.

"BEHIND YOU!" Someone screamed, and she gasped.

She reacted too late.

Immediately she felt the impact against her head. She didn't feel anything at first. Then a blinding, searing pain rippled through her shoulder, knocking her back. She grit her teeth, trying to stay on her feet. Blood dripped, and she was beginning to feel woozy. Nuclear blasts hit straight onto thighs, melting into her bones. Her eyes widened before she screamed.

Suddenly, she was on her knees, gasping in pain. Grinding gears echoed in her ears, and she heard the robots approaching her. Holes gaped where the blasts landed, tearing her suit and inflicting wounds. Her pistols clattered to the ground. She groaned, not seeing plasma raining towards her.

"MIKU!" Len and Meiko screamed at the same time. Len was closest, and he knocked her away before either of them could get eradicated. Meiko grabbed the pistols, angrily aiming at the robots.

_POP POP POP POP._

Bullets exploded from the barrel.

The robots twitched, motors sputtering until they finally dropped dead.

"No one messes with my friends! " Meiko shouted, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Panting, she kicked the last robot, its wires springing. The situation had calmed. Miku gasped slightly on hearing those words. Did that mean Meiko had finally forgiven her? Did that mean... they were friends again?

"Meiko..." she whispered before something shifted above her. She then realized Len was lying on top of her, groaning. He had locked her in a tight, protective embrace with their bodies pressed together. He slowly got up to face her, blinking. Then his face went pink. She blushed as well, relishing this close moment. "L-Len-kun. Could you get off me, please?"

Len immediately did so, muttering embarrassedly. "Ah, sorry. Um..." Miku flashed him a forgiving smile, assuring him it was fine.

"Don't worry. Thanks for saving me."

"Hatsune, you're hurt!" Luka exclaimed in worry, unzipping her backpack and removing a first aid kit. "Let me help you." She started bandaging her wounds.

The other teenagers crowded them, eying Miku up and down. Anxious, the girl bit her lip and lowered her gaze in shame, knowing she'd just blown her cover. The train was quiet, save for the rumbling and whimpering people surrounding them. No one said anything for a few seconds, eying the destruction. Finally, Meiko got tired of the silence.

"I'll get right to the point. Why on earth are you here, and what's with that slinky getup?" Meiko demanded, wrinkling her nose. She glanced at her black suit and thick boots. Her belt consisted of tools and two pistols. She noticed the weird goggles on her head, along with the suitcase she'd been carrying the entire time.

"Er..." Miku tensed, turning to Len. He was looking at her expectantly. She sighed dejectedly, shakily pulling out her ID. "Primarily, I'm involved in espionage." The teens oogled her picture and unit number, mouths gaping open.

Teto's eyes widened, "Whoa, wait... you're a spy? But..." she looked at Meiko, who blinked in surprise before frowning indignantly.

"Since when?" The brunette demanded angrily. Meiko felt a little bitter not knowing that part of Miku. They'd been friends in middle school after all. Then she tensed, blushing.

Wait, t-that didn't even matter anymore! It's not like they were still friends!

"S-Since Mikuo died..." Miku sighed, cringing as she tried to move, only to be stopped by a scolding Luka. Then upon realizing what she just said, she gasped and covered her mouth. The other teens gaped at her even further.

Len stared at her in total disbelief. "Mikuo died? W-w-what are you sayi-!" he sputtered before shaking his head, "Wonderful, now I'm_ really_ confused. You better explain later. More importantly, why are you here?" Miku clenched her fists, unable to meet his gaze. Len frowned. "Miku?"

"You lied to me, Len-kun!"

Len looked taken aback, "...Uh? What?" Was his intelligent reply.

"How could you've said Rin was your sister? You know she's not, but you lied to me!" Miku shook her head fiercely, "I thought we were friends. Friends trust each other!" Len looked hurt. He hung his head guiltily. Then he snapped upright and indignantly crossed his arms.

"Wait a minute, just look at you! Are you seriously attacking me while dressed like that?"

Miku flinched but replied just as saucily, "You haven't answered my question! Why did you lie about Rin?"

"What? I don't know what you know, but I had to protect her-"

"From what? Her father?" Miku finished sassily, eyes narrowing, "She doesn't need protection considering she's a bionic weapon." Miku said, "Or maybe considering she's the top product of Crypton Future Media, we shouldn't even be near her! After all, she's an unstable, isolated, naive, cyborg who confuses emotions with facts. She acts like the whole world is on her shoulders! Who does she think she is... constantly victimizing herself and expecting to babied... this is inexcusable!" She shook her head, "More else, she's the project that was never supposed to exist, right? The government rejected those plans, but no! Leon brought her to life anyway, and look what's happened!"

Len, Meiko, and Kaito turned white. They looked at Miku in pure shock and disbelief. Meiko dropped her crow bar, hands flying to her mouth in shock. Len and Kaito exchanged terrified glances, aghast Rin's identity had been discovered. Miku, of all people. They hesitantly glanced back at her, who in turn, glared at them questionably. They immediately averted their eyes.

"I suspected Kaito-senpai already knew... but so did you, Meiko," Miku stated flatly. The said girl refused to look at her. She then turned on Teto and Luka. "What about you two?"

Luka confusedly pushed a pink tendril behind her ear, "I-I honestly have no idea what's going on."

"I do." Teto nodded brusquely, earning a surprised look from Luka, Kaito, and Meiko. The redhead looked straight into Miku's eyes without an ounce of shame, regret, or disgust. "I know what Rin is."

"But I know everything about her." Miku stated, her doll-like face contorting in unyielding anger. She looked at Len again.

"E-everything?" Len practically sputtered, arms falling to his sides. He clenched the hairspray in his hand, involuntarily crushing the aluminum. He was still in shock, unable to look away from her. "How do you know _everything_?" he practically cried, his facial expressions twisted in indignance and amazement. "How? How could you know about any of this?" He glared at his coiling fists, trembling, "I tried everything to keep this a secret..." This wasn't fair. Len knew how hard he worked to keep Rin under the waters, and yet one person still managed to find out?

"H-Hey, Len..." Kaito, seeing his brother's discomfort, frowned and attempted to touch his shoulder. Len quickly shrugged him away, cocking his head towards Miku in an awfully challenging manner.

"Fine! Just how much _do_ you know, Miku?"

Miku flinched, surprised his aggression was being directed towards her. Nonetheless she answered, "T-That agent who wanted to talk to you at the amusement park, Hiyama Kiyoteru? He's my uncle! He's in the hospital because of her!" Len's eyes widened in recognition.

"You mean...?"

"So you're his niece." Kaito piped up helpfully.

Miku nodded, "Yes. Occasionally I help him with his investigations, including the matter of Project: VOCALOID."

Everyone did a double take. Meiko gaped like a fish, "You've been spying on Rin?"

"The government assigned me to gather information about her and send it to the military." Miku explained, "The main reason you haven't seen me around in school is because during that time, I was being informed me of my assignment: to track Project Rin's affairs."

Miku looked around, eying the wrecked train, "I saw Crypton robots swarming this train, so I assumed Rin would be on here," she then rubbed her aching head, "Clearly she brings disastrous results," she then looked at Len, "Get this through your head, Len-kun. Rin doesn't need to be protected. If anything, we need to protect ourselves from her."

A stupified Luka looked at Teto, exasperated and baffled. "Please! Can someone please tell me what's going on? What's all this about Crypton and robots? Moreover, why does Rin-san keep being brought up?" she then bit her lip in frustration, "This is too much for me to take in."

Teto smirked at her cousin, "You don't even know the biggest surprise!" Wickedly, she immediately thinking of the purple-haired professor. "Gakupo's involved with this fiasco. Fun, right?" She guffawed at her cousin's alarmed face.

Len's eyes bulged. "KASANE!"

Meanwhile, Meiko was twitching in anger at Miku's bitter words. True, Rin didn't exactly come off as confidentally independent, but that didn't mean this teal-haired princess could just say whatever she pleased! Especially when it came to her friends. What's worse is that Miku could say these things so nonchalantly behind Rin's back. Well, not that she'd have a problem saying it directly to Rin, but just the nerve of her!

Meiko's ferocious temper overrode her mind like a building volacano. Bad thoughts collided against her strictly fair judgement like an ocean torrent crashing against rocks. Anger denied logic. Justice canceled out dignity, and her face bloomed like a rose.

Miku really had changed.

"You spoiled, inconsiderate little...!" The angry brunette stomped towards her ex-friend with her hand raised, hoping to knock some sense into the stupid girl. Miku gasped, recoiling at the sight of her raised fist. Before Meiko could lash out, Kaito and Len immediately came between them.

"Wait, wait," Len said, narrowing his eyes at Meiko and Miku, "I don't believe this." he muttered and lowered his head in disappointment. He never knew his crush was capable of being so coldly direct, even it what she said was true, Len still couldn't perceive how she said those words so easily... or maybe she'd been suppressing this unpleasant side of her for quite some time. Then again, the situation didn't exactly call for anyone's good sides. Len thought as he lowered his eyes.

And maybe she was right about Rin...

Then he quickly looked at an angry Meiko, who was almost thrashing against Kaito's restraining arms. She glared daggers at Miku, gritting her teeth and snuffing like a challenged bull. Then he looked at his stepbrother, eying Miku in slight irritation before shaking his head and muttering under his breath. Finally, his eyes fell on Teto, who was trying to give insight to her cousin.

No... Len hardened his resolve, snapping back to Miku.

There was absolutely no exceptions!

"You didn't come here to argue, I bet. Don't lose sight of your goal," Len said, surprising Miku, "First things first, we need to get everyone off this train." He then turned to Kaito hurriedly, "How's mom?"

"Still unconscious." Kaito answered stiffly, referring to the woman lying on the row of seats, "Len, we've got to get her out of here soon." Her head looked badly bruised as she breathed unsteadily. Len quickly ran to her side, eyes full of pain and worry as he cradled her head to his chest. Earlier when the robots crashed in, she hit her head during the frightened stampede. Luckily, Luka had dragged her to a nearby bathroom, guarding her until the danger cleared.

Len turned back to face his friends, fire burning inside him. No matter what, he decided while narrowing his eyes, he would at least bring his mom home safe and sound. He sat down, stroking his chin in deep concentration. The teens circled around him, appearing attentive.

"We've already contacted Iroha and the rest. They're already on this train, but we've got to find them before more Crypton goons show up." Len spoke clearly, making sure they were listening. The train rumbled above them. They looked up, momentarily distracted by the flickering lights. "We haven't got much time." Len grit out, regaining their attention. He then grabbed his head in frustration, "Aren't there any responsible adults around here?"

"Kagamine-kun, what do you think we should do?" Luka asked slowly, fearing the worst case scenario. The others looked at him apprehensively. Len bit the inside of his cheek at this sudden pressure. They were all relying on him, even Kaito and Meiko didn't look like they had a clue where to begin. If he gave them bad instructions, it would all be on him. He hesitated before looking at Miku.

"I've got a plan, but everyone needs to help."

* * *

Two groups and two missions.

"Me, Miku, and Luka are going to find the NND. They should be in the control room... Kaito, you're the one who phoned Iroha. What did she tell you?"

"You mean before I got drop kicked by a robot? Hm, let's see..."

"Kaito, just spit it out!"

"Hmph, since you're more worried about a stupid phone call than your precious brother, fine." Kaito grumbled bitterly, zipping up a thick leather jacket. "She said the conductor is dead, the controls are busted, and there's no way to stop this train. We're evacuating once Dad and professor Gakupo sends in choppers."

Inside the bathroom, the girls were chattering. Meiko, Luka, and Teto were changing into Miku's spare jumpsuits. The boys were outside already dressed in overcoats they found in crates.

"That's all?" Len asked.

Kaito kicked a pebble, shaking his head. "I told her our location, and she wants us to stay together and not move. All the passengers will need to be evacuated, including us." he looked at Len dead in the eye, "Sadly, that goes against your 'plan'. You sure we should stick to it?"

Len grimaced, nodding, "If I'm right, we're the real targets considering we're involved with Rin. If we divide and keep moving, the robots will have a harder time tracking us and we'll be able to protect the civilians." He gestured towards the huddled passengers, continuing, "Iroha should've thought of that."

Kaito whistled in agreement, "Wow, Shota. You really do think things through." He smiled, shaking his head. Then his expression became serious.

The door swung open. Meiko, Teto, and Luka were now dressed in thick jumpsuits, accenting their bodies. Using Miku's spare weapons, Meiko and Teto were armed and ready. Kaito and Len oogled the girls' slim forms, fighting back nosebleeds before snapping back into action. Len cleared his throat, dusting his dark shorts off. He looked very serious. He snatched out a whiteboard, drawing a diagram of the train and their current position.

"Kaito, Teto, Meiko-nee: you'll need to clear the roofs to protect the civilians and prepare an evacuation site." he said, gesturing to Miku. She unpacked her suitcase. "To do that, you'll need to hack into those aircrafts using Miku's circuit scanners..." then he hesitated, "I've seen you guys in action, but do any of you know about computer hacking?"

Teto's hand shot up, "I'm your man!"

Len nodded approvingly before turning to Miku, "You got circuit scanners with you?" She blinked, surprised. Then she nodded. "Yeah, give some to Teto." He turned to the said girl again, "Dell told me about Crypton combat: their airforce machines are manipulated by a mother computer on the biggest plane. Find it, hack into it, and if possible, control the other machines. If you can't, then just clear the robots and shut down the rest of the planes."

Teto nodded seriously before giving him a single digit salute, "Sir, yes, sir!"

"Just stick to the system and you'll be fine." Len grinned slightly. His face suddenly became tight with concern, "Promise me you'll be okay."

Teto blinked, startled at his open worry. It was flattering, but somehow it felt weird coming from him. To hide her embarassment, she punched his shoulder, "Trust me: I've been in more awkward and crazy adventures than you'll ever know." Len rubbed his collarbone and looked at her interestedly. Trying not to be distracted, he snapped his head at Kaito and Meiko.

"You guys. Protect Kasane until she hacks the mother ship." Len then grabbed guns from Miku's open suitcase, handing them over, "use these." Kaito uncomfortably tampered with his gun, turning it over and examining the structure. Meiko simply tucked hers under her belt. "Megurine..." Len finally looked at the pink-haired girl, frowning in concern, "I know you don't really get what's going on, so I understand how uncomfortable this is for you..."

Luka nodded hesitantly, gulping, "But... you still need my help, don't you?"

Len smiled uncomfortably, "You got it. You'll know what's going on along the way, but until then, will you assist in any way you can?" A big smile lit up Luka's face. It felt nice to hear those words, especially since she came off as a wallflower to other people. Now was her chance to prove she could be strong when needed. In a crisis like this, she could prove to herself she can remain in control.

Luka nodded, "Of course, Kagamine-kun. You can rely on me," then she quickly asked, "Will I be needing a gun?" Len noticed her disheartened tone, despite her trying to remain cooperative. He appreciated this.

"I won't make you," Len said, offering a railgun, "but it would help."

Luka looked hesitantly at the weapon in his hands. As a nonviolent, nurturing young lady, she preferred solving her problems by negociating. She immensely disliked violence and stayed cleared of trouble. She bit her lower lip, glancing at everyone else who was staring at her. Sweating, she suddenly felt self-conscious for being on the spot. She hated this. Suddenly, she regretted even agreeing to this in the first place.

"Megurine-chan," Kaito called and grinned, lightly tussling her head, "it's your choice. No one's making you shoot heads off..." he flashed a grin that was positively goofy yet comforting in a oddly charming manner, "We all know that's Kasane's thing." Her cousin whooped in agreement. Luka would've smiled if the situation weren't so serious.

Teto and her shooting games... sigh.

Luka turned to Len, hesitating slightly before taking the gun from him and hugging it against her chest. She tried not to make her fear too obvious.

Len, grinning gratefully, turned to the others and pounded a fist against his palm, "Anyway, questions before we move out?"

"Oh god. Guys. Do these leggings make my thighs look big?" Teto asked frantically, scrunching her face as she looked down at herself. Meiko rolled her eyes, and Luka shook her head indignantly.

"Teto!"

"You look like a picture of the evening," Len sighed sarcastically, rubbing his temple, "Seriously. Does anyone have _relevant_ questions?"

Meiko hesitated before finally clearing her throat, "Do we really have to work like this? Isn't sticking together... y'know, safer?"

Len smiled before shaking his head, "Not in this case. Moving in a large group will make mobilization harder, and people will get hurt easily. Plus, it would slow progress down."

"But fighting robots would be easier." Meiko argued reasonably.

"In a way, but not necessarily." Len answered, "We'd be easier to target, plus, it wouldn't be hard to locate us either. We're not bringing battles to us."

"Um... what about Rin-san?" Luka spoke up once more, her face full of worry. "Kagamine-kun... this entire time we've been discussing plans and everything, but you haven't mentioned her once. Aren't you... worried?" Len blinked, looking taken off guard. Then he looked down, hair falling into his eyes.

"I don't have to say the obvious, do I?" he responded miserably before groaning, "Just thinking about her in danger makes me sick. I feel like I'm going to explode. Worst of all, I'm not even sure where she is." Everyone could see his jaw set in a tight line, and his fists were twitching at his sides. Meiko and Kaito looked at each other, frowning sadly. Len then looked up, his expression firm. "But sitting here and worrying won't change anything. I can only hope she can hang on a bit longer until we find her." he looked at his friends, "You all know Rin is stronger than she gives herself credit for." he then sighed, finally showing his concern, "I just wish she realized it herself."

A silence ensued before Kaito finally cleared his throat, trying to hide his discomfort.

"Can we just get this over with?"

After wishing good luck to one another, the teens split up and took flight to their missions.

Luka, Miku, and Len crossed from cart to cart. Whenever robots crossed their path, Miku shot them dead using her silencer. Most of the robots were basically wandering around in the hangars. Some of them were loitering in passenger carts, but Miku informed her friends they were actually very alert. The teens used shadows to their advantages, hiding behind chairs and under tables allowed them to sneak past a majority of the androids.

Apparently, the Crypton robots weren't very efficient after all.

"I'm surprised their interior armor is composed of aluminum. No wonder Meiko didn't have much trouble decapitating them." Len snorted quietly as he flicked a pebble at the opposite corner, the sound drawing the robots near. When their backs were turned, the teens immediately snuck across the corridor and escaped through the open exit. Climbing across the connecter, Miku sighed slightly as the frosty wind stung their faces. She and Len climbed on the next platform, trying to unlock the door.

Miku let out frustrated sigh, turning to ask Luka if she could borrow a melter. Her eyes then widened, and she screamed, "Megurine, watch out!"

A swinging piece of metal came flying from above, just meters above where Luka was. The said girl stopped crawling across the connecter and instinctively looked up, eyes widening in horror. Stepping forward quickly, she barely managed to avoid the crashing weight landing against the connector. Distracted by her paranoia that another one would drop, she moved forward too quickly and immediately lost her footing.

"KYAAAAA!"

Luka's panicked scream was all it took for Miku to move, but Len got to her first. Reacting quickly, the boy used his gun as a lever, yelling for her to take it. She quickly grabbed the barrel, and Len yanked her onto the shaking platform just before she fell completely.

_BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM._

_BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM BOM!_

The teenagers yelped. Len's gun went flying out of their hands, tumbling below into the river.

Intense pounding rumbled above. It was like rhinos were stomping across the roof, grating the metal with harsh, impacting footsteps. Zapping noises rebounded, and blue-white streaks zapped the air, followed by a burning incense. The teens stiffened as they heard harsh, screaming words foreign to their ears.

_"Das verstehe ich nicht! Hasst du mich so sehr, dass Sie mich zu ermorden wollen? **Warum**? Wir sind Schwestern!"_

("I don't understand! Do you hate me so much that you want to murder me?! _Why_?! We're sisters!")

Out of nowhere, fast moving shapes materialized between the two roofs, shadowing the sun and connecting with heavy, violent blows. Len caught sight of a fluttering white bow, eyes widening in pure panic and shock.

_"ICH WERDE DICH IN DIE HOLLE ZU SCHICKEEEEEEN!"_

(I'LL SEND YOU TO HELL!)

The larger shape violently dealt with an enormous, bone-cracking kick, sending her opponent spiraling towards the metal grate of the cart's platform. Shoving the girls apart, Len ran and stretched his arms out like an guardian angel spreading his wings. A blur landed against Len, sending them both tumbling through mid-air. For protecting the girl in his arms, Len paid the price, and his head violently collided against the door.

Miku and Luka shrieked, throwing themselves onto the railing.

The dust cleared to reveal a panting Len with his back against the cracked wall. His arms wrapped Rin in a fierce, almost crushing embrace. Winded and barely conscious, Rin was sprawled out in his open lap. Len's bangs fell over his eyes as he bent his head, gritting his teeth. He felt his lungs collapse from the devastating impact; it hurt to breathe; he knew he'd broken at least two ribs surrounding his lungs. A bruise formed where he'd hit his head, and blood oozed from his scalp. His mouth clenched unbearably as he held in pained, muffled grunts.

Luka and Miku screamed in unison.

"RIN-SAN?!"

"RIN!?"

An agonized, horrified gasp sounded as something suddenly moved from his lap, touching his cheek with unbearably soft fingers, belonging to the only girl that could dramatically effect him.

"Len! Len!" Rin's terrified face came into view, stricken with grief and worry. Her tiny, shaky hands ran through his tangled hair, pleasantly numbing his headache. Her adoring blue hues cut through Len's pain, sending him to space. Her bruised face and bleeding lips brought him back to earth, and his eyes widened in shock before narrowing. His hands quickly found hers, achingly caressing her fingers. Anger froze in his blue eyes like icy shales at the sight of large, multiple bruises covering her arms and face. He painstakingly cradled her battered face like a fragile treasure, inhaling sharply.

Each injury he found made him angrier. He grit his teeth, "Who did this to you?"

The answer he received was a cold, heartless snarl.

Standing above them was a scantily-clad woman with rapturous yellow hair. In her left hand, there was a long, snake-like whip that grew twice her height. Firearms were strapped to her holster, and pieces of armor covered her torso and shoulders. Her canine teeth bore a grim, terrifying snarl closely resembling a wolf's.

"Step aside _now_." She empathasized the last word with a disgusted hiss, demeaning his friends with a scary glare, causing them to involuntarily shiver. Her towering stance appeared murderous and threatening, cocking her head in an intimidating manner. Luka and Miku instinctively backed away, but Len stood his ground; his arms wound Rin in a tight, protective cage, guarding her and preventing her from leaving. He shot Lily a challenging stare.

"No." Beneath the softness of his voice was unyielding fury. His eyes became sharp daggers, knowing she was the one who had hurt Rin. Lily scowled deeply, clenching her whip.

"Freeze!" Miku sprang to action, cocking her railgun. She glared at Lily with an authorative air, "Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air." Lily's eyes narrowed before she scoffed. Flinging her arms up, she tossed something at their positions. It exploded into thick smoke, causing them but Rin to cough erratically. Gasping, Miku rubbed her burning eyes, and her vision became watery. A loud crack of a whip sounded as something sharp came in contact with her hand, slapping the gun out of her swelling fingers. Miku was suddenly flung backwards as handcuffs latched onto her, locking her wrists and ankles. Gasping, she ended up on the ground, struggling against the metal binds.

Luka, trembling, spun around frantically, trying to locate Lily. Just then, something sharp coiled around her ankle, yanking her into submission. With a scream, her back met the ground. Her left wrist was cuffed to the railing.

Rin's eyes widened, "Miku... Luka! No!" She tried to move, only to collapse into Len's lap again. Her arms desperately tried to steady her injured body but to no avail.

The smoke eventually cleared to reveal a very angry Lily.

"You don't know who you're dealing with," she hissed, green eyes sparking in flames, "I don't care what your relations are with Project Rin; I won't ask twice, move out of the way or I'll throw you off this train!" Luka frantically scooted back, gulping soundly. Normally for Miku, facing destructive and easily provoked enemies were weak, mindless threats. However, just looking at this woman's face made her blood freeze to ice. There was something about her expression; behind her intense rage, Miku could sense her pain and bitterness built from years of toil. Power and confidence radiated from her lofty prescence. Behind her cold mask was thirst for vengeance, pinpointing at the blonde cyborg cowering in Len's arms.

Indeed, this woman shouldn't be taken lightly.

"Why should I let you take her?" Len snapped, moving in front of Rin and shielding her body with his own, arms apart and knees firm on the floor. "You've hurt her enough. The last thing I'm gonna do is hand her over to the likes of you!" he then craned his neck slightly, "Get out of here while you still can, Rin. I'll distract her!"

Rin stared at him in horror, "You can't ask me to do that, Len!"

Len scowled slightly, "I'm not! I'm ordering you! Go!" Astounded by his heroic stupidity, Lily passingly lowered her whip. Her anger disappeared, replaced with confusion. This boy, knowing she'd tear to him to shreds in an instant, is still trying to protect her with his lithe, lazy body?

Rin stubbornly shook her head, safeguarding his body by moving in front of him. An annoyed Len pried her off and huffed.

"Leave. I'm doing this for your own good."

Rin sniffed, "N-No..."

"Oh, for crying out loud...!" Len's patience was started to thin. Rin's stubbornness was equal to a bull's. Once pride rooted within her decision, it was almost impossible to change her mind. He forcibly sighed, trying to remain composed as he practically glared at Rin, using an affective threat (that he himself disliked), "If you're not out of my sight within two seconds, I'll hate you forever. That, and when I go to the grave, I'll haunt you for the rest of my life."

That last statement struck Rin like a slap across the face. She shakily stared at him in hurt astonishment. Her eyes watered, and her entire face crumbled. Then she tried to speak, unable to stop herself from quaking. She desperately tried not to cry but to no avail. The thought of Len dying and hating her at the same time completely undid her.

Did he really mean that? Was he actually telling the truth or was he just trying to get her to leave?

Rin, gullible as she was, finally believed him. Still, his poison-laced words weren't enough to keep her at bay as she furiously flung her arms around his neck in attempt to make him take his words back.

"Haunt me! H-Hate me!" Rin hiccupped between furious gasps, burying her face in his chest, "But it's not fair to just leave everyone! Do you think I'm that selfish?!" Unbeknownst to her, Len's angry face softened somewhat. He gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes, but he still couldn't find the heart to stay completely mad at her for being so difficult. Just as he sighed, a sudden noise interrupted him.

"Why?" Lily asked Len, her tone sounding strangely bitter, "You have no weapon, and yet you still protect that _thing?_" she pointed to Rin, disgust and venom dripping from her voice. "How can you stand to touch her, let alone sacrifice so much for a violent existence?"

"She's nothing like that!" Len answered sharply, much to Miku's incredulity, "Rin means a lot to me, and I've already decided to be responsible for her!" He then scowled, "Don't mess with my friends!" Rin internally gasped, eyes shining with astonishment. Suddenly, he became her princely savior guarding her with strong, lean arms. Hearing him state her existence was important to him, her chest constricted with pride and gratitude.

"Len..." she whispered into his shirt, her voice barely loud enough for Len to hear.

Lily's lips thinned, "Friend? Need I tell you that she's murdered countless people with her bare hands?" Her eyes suddenly narrowed at a desperate Rin, shaking her head as if trying to dispose of those memories, "Including her own mother?" At the last words, Len straightened in surprise, eyes wide and mouth agape in pure disbelief. Without even thinking, he turned and looked at an aghast Rin.

"Her... mother..." he managed thickly, rendered speechless. His eyebrows knitted, and his face tightened. "Miriam?..." He still heard Kaiko's words clear in his head.

_"Rin is looking for her mother."_

"I...I..." Rin weakly tried, trying to form words. Pain and self-loathing at his realization made her wish she was never born. That look in his eyes... if only she knew what he was thinking. Then again, tears formed in her burning eyes as she looked down, maybe she already knew he was now revolted and horrified by Lily's testimony. She imagined he couldn't stand even looking at her but couldn't tear his eyes away. To be so afraid as to make eye contact of a brutal bionic creation, it surely changed the fact he ever saw her as human. He would no longer look at her like he used too.

Even Rin couldn't blame him.

Miku and Luka exchanged bewildered, horrified glances before eying the scene again.

"What? You... you..." Len could only stammer, thoughts battling in his head. He wasn't completely at a lost, however. Rin's anguish and neverending tears told him the event described by Lily wasn't accurately portrayed, and knowing that comforted him. Still, the fact Rin wasn't even defending herself really freaked him out. In short, he really didn't know what to make of the situation. All eyes were on him, and he felt extremely pressured. He hurriedly tried to decide between comforting or questioning Rin. But he didn't know every time he spoke, her mind slowly neared a cliff.

"You killed your mother?" Len finally blurted out his main thought, and immediately, he wanted to slap himself as soon as those words left his mouth. Seeing Rin's tears flow faster, he willed himself to jump into a giant frying pan and burn for eternity.

Rin shakily lifted her head, trying to smile but failing miserably, "I-I never dreamed of doing so. She... I loved her too! I loved her so, so much that it hurt...! But... she..." her voice broke into sobs as she shook her head again, "I-I wish you didn't have to know...! I wish I didn't have to know!" She shielded her eyes, ashamedly sobbing into her hands, "S-Selfish of me, isn't it? Why? WHY? If I loved her, why would I m-murder her? I should burn in hell for this... shouldn't I." Grieving, she sank to the floor, much to everyone's chagrin.

Frustrated and devastated, Len instead gritted his teeth and turned on Lily.

"I'm so sick of this! Why're you Crypton people always barging in our lives?! Can't you guys just forget your ambitions and recognize humanity when you see it?" he demanded, gesturing at Rin.

"My _sister_," Lily seethed, surprising Len, "is the glory of our father's company, though ironically, she has no pride in her position," she snorted, adding, "But I'm not acting out of Crypton affairs. I'm only interested in her as the executioner."

"Executioner..." Len repeated slowly before he stumbled in shock, "SISTER?!"

The teal agent quickly assumed her plans and groaned, "You... are an accomplice of illegality. Your rights have been revoked..." she managed hazily, "L-Leon is guilty of illegal weapon trade in Sapporo, but returning Project to Germany is an act of further treason."

Lily stared at Miku. "Rights? Treason? Do I look like a citizen to you?" she sneered, "This has nothing to do with father. I came here for personal reasons."

"Lily... I'm sorry." Rin whispered, causing everyone to look at her in shock. Empathy and solitude mixed her in eyes. Rin then stood straight, unnerving the rest of them, especially Lily. The sisters locked gazes, neither looking away. "I'm so sorry. Father hurt you all this time, and I was left unaware... for that, I'm deeply sorry for your suffering..." she then smiled bitterly, "All this time... you're still working for something you've craved for: father's love."

"You think I'm..!" Lily exclaimed, furrowing her eyebrows before snarling and snapping like a dog in heat, "HOW DARE YOU! Should I retrieve you like a stick to the man who's used me this entire time? Disgusting!"

Rin shook her head, sadly and knowingly, "You're no one's puppet, I know."

Lily's fury peaked, misinterpreting her compliment, "You lazily misuse your talents, so you have no right to mock me! Are you so better than me that you think you can also laugh at my challenge? Maybe you're confident enough that you can break me?! No, Rin..." Lily's eyes flashed as she cracked her knuckles, "I will break you."

"R-Rin-san..." Luka stammered, reaching for her friend's arm. Len's eyes widened as Rin slowly edged around him, gently shrugging his hands away. She stared up at her sister with an unfathomable gaze. Relief didn't sweep him off his feet like it should have. Instead, he was deeply confused. If Lily wasn't going to bring Rin back to her father, why was she here? He swallowed thickly, and his veins suddenly throbbed in aching realization.

Lily wasn't planning on taking Rin back to Germany.

She was going to kill her!

"NO!" Len screamed, throwing himself in front of Rin just as the whip went flying. Miku's throat closed in, unable to move as she witnessed the boy taking a violent blow. His head met the railing as his body went flying. Rin froze, hearing a sickening pop and watching Len, moaning, clutched his broken wrist. Luka's terrified scream rebounded, echoing in Rin's ears as she stared at the blood seeping through the open cut on his head.

"LEN-KUN!" Miku's agonized shriek jolted Rin into movement.

Traumatized, Rin slowly reached out to him with both arms, her hands shaking. Just as she touched his head, he immediately groaned. Eyes wide, she quickly withdrew as if touching a hot griddle.

Tears gathered in her lower lashes, and she staggered back, gasping and stumbling over her own feet. She frantically turned to Miku and Luka, who instinstively shrank away from the wild look in her eyes. Rin choked, her throat closing up. A roaring pain rippled through her mind, pulsing furiously. She nearly fell to her knees, trembling and gasping for breath. In the midst of her unstable mind, Rin began to hallucinate.

_Suddenly, the wire platform became tiled floor, sterile and stagnant. A gas smoldered the room, and lights crashed onto the floor, scattering glass bits like snow. Len's body morphed into a woman, lying in her own bloodbath._

"Mo...mmy..." Pupils shrank in terror, and Rin clutched the sides of her head, whimpering loudly. Her stability crushed, and her sanity crumbled, Rin's entire body began shaking as if she were having a nightmare. Electricity crackled at the base of her scalp. The girls eyed the spectacle in bewilderment, unable to truly comprehend what was happening.

Meanwhile with Len, his eyes shot open in realization and horror. Due to the aftershock of his slight concussion, he couldn't will his muscles to move.

"Rin...! NO STOP!"

_Rin vomited on the lab floor, shaking and crying. Whimpering desperate apologies, she shrank away from her mother's mutilated corpse, shaking her head rapidly as if willing the image away. Grieving, guilty tears burned her eyes._

_"I'm sorry!" On her knees, she hysterically begged for forgiveness. Miriam looked ahead with lifeless eyes, silent, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'M SORRY!"_

_"Is it because she hated you?" A sad, childish voice inquired softly. Spinning around, Rin came face to face with the little origin herself: Rin Takashi. Her hospital dress was dirtied, murky, and discolored from mud. Her face was red and purple, possibly from her death. Several limbs were missing, and her left foot was completely amputated. _

_"N..." Rin desperately shook her head multiple times, tearing up even further._

_Her child self merely laughed disappointedly, bitterly, "Playing pretend is done. You bad, bad girl," she then tilted her head, her tiny hands writhing towards her, "All you do is hurt people, even the ones who're really, really nice."_

_Rin desperately shook her head, unable to form words._

_Her child self laughed again, giggling, "Moooonster," Her eyes then darkened as blood gushed from her battered head, "How can anyone love you now?"_

Another painful jolt shot up Rin's spine, delivering traumatizing memories. Desperately, she tried to force them back but to no avail. Images of dead bodies, her ambitious father announcing his plans over approving scientists, angry protesters, and the Crypton products burned into her eyes. Gunfire, heavy machinery, and bloodcurdling screams echoed in her ears. Steel walls fielded her vision, and vengeful ghosts of her past haunted her, whispering angry threats.

Pupils shrank in terror, and her face twisted and paled, "UNH...!" She burst into uncontrollable tears, clenching her swollen fists against the sides of her head and parting her trembling red lips. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAGHAAAAAAA!" The thunderous shriek rebounded into impacting waves, distorting and bending the metal carts into gruesome shapes. Miku and Luka were thrown back against the railing, covering their ears and their faces twisted in pain. Snow exploded off the train as Rin continued crying, tears running down her face. Lily, gritting her teeth, felt her ears ringing horrendously. She covered her ears, hissing in agony and surprise.

"W...What is this?"

"Aaa! AAAA! HRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARAGH!" The pitch of her wailing cry climbed higher and higher, surpassing human vocal chords. Lily broke into a cold sweat, dropping her whip. She... She couldn't even hear Rin's voice! All she heard was a painful, screeching siren invading her mind. Painful memories surfaced, making her muscles tense up involuntarily.

Miku gasped inaudibly. Neither she or Luka could cover her ears, so it made listening excruciating. Both girls were paralyzed. This horrible, painful screeching...! It sounded like it belonged to a tortured creature undergoing unimaginable nightmares. It violently shook their insides. It was like millions of knives were driving into their ears; their eardrums were bleeding. Unexpectedly, images of Mikuo's body flashed before her eyes. She tensed. No! Why was she remembering this now? Looking back at Rin, she tried desperately to smother her ears against the floor.

Stop... make it STOP!

Rin jerked, her back hitting the wall. Suddenly, she stopped screaming long enough for Miku to get a good look at her. Panting, Rin trembled as her knees starting wobbling tremendously. Whimpers escaped from her as she writhed against the door, clawing into her skin. She let a short scream, her back slamming into the wall. Her face was unnaturally flushed, and perspiration shone on her face. She looked like she was having a fever.

"RRRRRRRRHHH!" Momentarily, Rin's eyes flashed green. Her face went uncharacteristically pale and dead.

Miku gasped, terrified, "R-Rin-!"

A loud crack sounded, startling the girls. A whip went flying, coiling around Rin's ankle. She violently stiffened and glanced at her sister, who reeled her in and sent her flying into the snowy haze. Immediately, Lily took off into pursuit. Len was already on his feet, grunting and trying to climb up the cart where the girls shot off.

"L-Len-kun, aren't you forgetting somethi-?!" Luka dazedly shouted, gesturing to her binds. "Oogh... my ears..." she gasped, panting furiously.

Miku weakly cried, "C'mon, we still need to find your friends, then there's treating your injuri-"

**BOBBOM**!

An muffled explosion caused everyone to stop arguing. Len jolted and instinctively backed into the railing.

"Argh. That shout just now... ow. OOF! There's no end to these metal heads!" An annoyed voice shouted, which sounded all too familiar. A heavy clang sounded, "HIYAH! TAKE THAT!"

A robot went flying through the metal door, the one Luka stood next to, and was sent flying onto the rails. She immediately screamed in shock as the wheels crushed the machine, gnashing it to pieces and causing a tremor. Everyone jumped, clinging to the nearest comfort... just then, they jolted seeing two shadows emerging from the dust-ridden doorway.

"Geez," Another voice complained, "where's Dell and Gakupo? They should be here by now."

Len's eyes widened, "Lola! Iroha!"

"Huh?" The smoke cleared to reveal a woman with an andriod. Lola carried darts between her fingers, and Iroha banged her speakers together. They were clad in their usual outfits, but the huge difference was their grim expressions.

"Kagamine!" Iroha gasped, her face suddenly full of panic. Without a second thought, she leaped across the air and landed in front of Len, "W-W-What are you doing here?! I told Kaito-san you weren't supposed to be wandering around like this!" Then, she noticed the girls handcuffed and writhing. Her expression suddenly became uncharacteristically stern. "... Lola, please go unlock them."

Lola, sensing the angry aura from her partner, made haste to the girls.

"Iroha..." Len started confusedly, clutching his broken wrist, "Why're you looking at me like that?" The young andriod silenced him with a violent clang of her speakers, glaring.

"You'd better have a good reason to be out here," her voice was rigid and uneven, "Where's the rest of you?..." then she noticed his injuries, "Oh my g- you're injured?! Tell me what happened! Now!" Len became uncomfortable under her intense questioning, wilting under her barely contained temper.

"W-We split up..." he then explained the plan they were walking through, including why they were going through with it. He also stiffly introduced Miku... and revealed her identity. Finally, he told her how they met Lily, and how she ended up brawling Rin. Needless to say, Iroha wasn't very happy.

"EEEHHHHHH?" Everyone cringed at the volume of Iroha's disbelieving shriek. She looked positively stricken with grief and horror. Her entire face went pale with fury, and her speakers began trembling at her sides furiously. She clenched her teeth, and frustrated tears built up in her eyes, "LEN! DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NOW?! YOU'RE ALL IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!"

Luka groaned, clutching her ears, "P-Please... not so loud... my ears..."

"So noisy... your voice is echoing..." Miku gasped as well. Lola had to assist both girls, sighing back at her partner. She looked incredibly stressed.

"Iroha, we've got another problem on our hands."

Len immediately tensed, "P-Problem? Problems?" he whipped to Iroha, "What's happened?"

"You don't say," Iroha sarcastically replied to Lola, ignoring Len. She flipped out her phone, "To-chan, have you located all the bombs?... What, no! I've been busy taking care of Crypton units, but there's no end to them! Yes, I know there's Crypton jets in our position!" she sighed exasperatedly before furrowing her brows in concentration. She then nodded, "...alright, I'll do it."

After treating the girls, Lola jogged up to Len and began to bandage his head. He pushed her back slightly, staring at Iroha.

"W-What do you mean 'bombs?" he asked fearfully. He protested slightly when Lola forced him into wearing a cast.

"By the way, can you send Al to sector two? We've got some sheep to round up..." Iroha's gaze flickered briefly to Len, making him stiffen. She sighed, "Yeah, I'll send them over," she snapped to the taller boy, furiously rapping her helmet, "Me and Lola already cleared the path ahead, so you won't have much trouble dealing with robots. Meet Al at the end, and please don't interfere any further." she then looked at the teenage girls, "Can you walk?"

Miku and Luka stumbled slightly from the medicine but nodded firmly.

Iroha sighed, "Next time, stay clear of Rin's soundwaves. Hearing them can result in dementia and permanent brain damage." she sighed again, "Lucky thing she didn't scream too long. If she did..." Her sentence trailed off with a tremendous shudder, "Ouch."

Miku squinted her eyes dazedly, swaying slightly, "S-So... we'll be alright then?"

Iroha nodded before turning to Lola. "C'mon, we've got to find the rest." Just as they were about to leave, Len quickly grabbed her arm, tugging insistently. She gave him an exasperated pout, "What now? I just told you to get going."

"You said something about bombs on the train." Len interrupted, prying further. Great, Iroha twitched thoughtfully, he was going to argue again.

Iroha pushed him back, hurriedly explaining, "Me and Lola captured one of Lily's accomplices. We interrogated him, and it just so happens there's twenty bombs on this train. He says there's a trigger attached to Lily's pulse. If her heart stops, then all the bombs on this train will immediately detonate." she then scowled, "Damn maniac, that Lily... she thought everything through! Coming here to openly antagonize Rin! Of all the..."

Len's eyes widened, "You don't mean...!"

Miku furrowed her eyebrows, swaying slightly. She didn't completely comprehend what the two teens were getting at, but she still felt a heavy burden resting on her shoulders. Iroha and Lola exchanged grim looks before nodding.

"Len," Iroha started firmly yet patiently, "whatever happens, we can't let Lily die. Even if Rin's VOCALOID mode doesn't even matter to her, we still need to separate them."

"If Rin kills Lily, the train blows up. If Lily kills Rin, the train still blows up." Lola dryly informed. Len mentally cringed at her blatant tone when she mentioned death. She sounded like she was describing tomorrow's weather. "Tonio has already deactivated some of them, but there's still more."

Then Len remembered something, asking, "And... you're clearing the paths for an evacuation site?" Iroha rose a brow, silently praising the boy for being sharp.

"Yeah. But now, Tonio's asking for help."

"Which is completely stupid since there's obviously not enough time to deactivate them all...," Lola grimly stated, looking overhead, "I still think we should be intervening in Rin's and Lily's fight." She sighed before snapping to attention, "Anyway, leave. Al will get you evacuated as soon as Gakupo and Dell arrive. We can't afford any more delays."

Iroha and Lola hunched over and lifted Len into their arms (much to his alarm) and practically tossed him across the connecter, landing in a heap next to his friends. As Lola tossed them their weapons, cartridges, along with a pistol for Len, Iroha quickly tugged her along, and they crashed through the opposite end.

"Iroha, wait!" Len shouted over the wind, causing Luka and Miku to cringe. His expression was etched with high-strung worry and realization, "What about Kaito and the others!?"

* * *

Damn blizzard. Damn robots. Damn train.

Kaito inadvertantly scraped snow off his boot with his gun before moving on. His stark white clothes, intimdiating height, and childish stomping scowl made him look like an abominable snowman. He shook his head viciously, snow flying off his hair as he glared up at the snowing sky. Up until now, winter had always been his favorite season. Memories of playing in the snow with his kindergarten class, celebrating Christmas, and waiting for Santa with friends replayed in his head, making him smile slightly before scowling again. Glaring at the snow, he knew why people hated it: it made moving so damn difficult.

Trudging through the snow reaching to his thighs, Kaito felt his mood matching the cloudy atmosphere, and Kasane's cheerful rambling certainly wasn't warming him up.

"-So I've been thinking, are Len's fangirls secretly bisexual? Like, I swear they must have some kind of girly boy complex since no one seems to like any other guy in our grade other than Kagamine-kun? After all, he does come off as the wife guy who'll wear a pink apron and make sandwiches-"

"Teto, please be quiet!" Meiko snapped, trying to keep her voice under control, "Now isn't the time for..." her voice trailed off as giant shadows cast over them, causing three heads to look up.

Hovercrafts zipped through the sky. Hot air from the engines blasted below, melting the snow and lighting the teens' faces on fire. Suddenly, the setting shifted; they were knights from an ancient fairytale, facing fire-breathing dragons.

"Whoa." Kaito thought aloud.

Tremors shook the train as a multitude of giant metal feet landed, raining down and forcing the group to divide. Several robots stomped towards Teto, forcing her back at brute arms. Struggling to evade them, she lost her footing and slid down the aisle, screaming.

"Teto!" Meiko shouted, reaching out to the fallen redhead. The robots turned on her, whirring viciously. Kaito panicked and quickly reeled Meiko back by the arm as snapping guns blocked their path. "Let me go, Kaito!" she struggled, trying to wrench her arm free. Angry and pleading, she begged, "Please! We can't let them hurt her!"

Kaito refused, "Runing into the fire won't help her!" he then scowled, tightening his grip, "I'm not risking you!"

Just then, a flash of magenta sprang out of the army of robots, and the deafening roar of a chainsaw was heard. Vicious revving fired up, and thick slices were heard. A backline of robots fell in pieces.

"WOO HOO!"

Meiko and Kaito nearly stumbled back in surprise. Their jaws hit the roof.

"DO RE MII~~~~~~! AAAALAAAAAAAAA~~~!" Teto sang, throwing her head back and holding the last note an impossibly high octave. Swinging her chainsaw around and slicing up metal, she struck a dramatic pose. "Ooooh baby, baby~! YEAAAAH!" Standing several feet ahead, there were more robots. They leaned down, cocking their wrist guns and firing. A grin lit her entire face as she dodged the plasma blasts. Revving her chainsaw, she leaped forward and swung it down, its blade cutting through the grinding metal. She kicked one in the face, sending it tumbling off the train. Vocalizing from a random opera, she belted out a seranade.

"Atta girl, Kasane!" Kaito shouted boisterously, swinging his ice machetes with an enormous grin.

"Behold my fruits of violent video games!" Teto laughed shortly, eyes darkening into a strange maroon, "You, seniors, aren't the only ones with ass-kicking skills." She brandished her chainsaw like an arrogant warrior, gloating shamelessly as no one else stood a chance. "TO ARMS!"

"Us and what army, Teto?! RUN!" Meiko screamed, yanking Kaito forward into a mad sprint. Blinking, Teto looked back and saw the massive army of robots heading their way. Despite the fact they had guns, even Teto knew they'd be hugely outdone. That, and it would be completely stupid to take on an entire fleet of robots with only three teenagers.

"Ah," Quickly, the redhead charged after her friends, "WAIT FOR ME!"

From a bird's eye view, one could see three frantic teenagers running from the massive flood of robots heading their direction. They stumbled and clumsily carried along their weapons, barely dodging the searing laser blasts.

Green lasers carbonated the atmosphere, grazing their body parts. A certain robot with deadly accuracy made his target unfortunate.

**BOMPOM!**

Kaito's brain went haywire once something hit his leg. At first he felt nothing and was able to keep running. Then his left leg exploded with a mind-boggling pain once he leapt across another cart. Once he landed, it was all too much.

"AGGGH!" Kaito's scream jolted Meiko to a halt. His body hit the roof, and he grabbed his bleeding, burning leg. Pain twisted his face as he struggled to clear his head. Teto was several yards away, trying to distract the robots by throwing flash grenades.

Meiko rushed to his aid, "C'mon, get up!" Kaito tried to stand, only to fall back down with a pained gasp. He tried again, sweating profusely. Meiko cringed at his ankle's disturbing angle. He fell again, his gun hitting the floor.

"Go... I'll catch up." Kaito hissed through his teeth, motioning her to move, panting.

Worry and hurt flashed in Meiko's brown eyes. She shook her head, gritting her teeth, "Like hell I'm leaving you." Grabbing him around the waist and slinging his arm around her shoulder, she hoisted him up. Kaito looked at her in awe and annoyance as they started moving.

"Of all the..!? Can't you listen to me just this once?!" he protested angrily over the explosions, "I'll slow us down!" Meiko forced him to lean against her.

"Just walk!"

Meiko's stubborness wasn't easy to break. Kaito knew she wasn't going to take no as his answer, seeing her irritated look. He relented and started hopping as fast as he could, trying to ignore the throbbing in his foot each time he moved. There was no way he was going to let Meiko get hurt because of him.

The robots were already thirty yards away, barely short of range as they continued firing.

"No good...! They're gonna catch us!" Kaito rasped, nearly swallowing his tongue. Meiko refused to argue any further and kept dragging him. But even her headstrong strength wouldn't be enough to outrun automated killers. Hovercrafts continued breezing above them, the wind pounding against their clothes and hair. He suddenly stopped, looking up with an odd expression.

Meiko paused, "What are you doing?! We've got to at least-!" Her voice trailed when Kaito suddenly grinned at her, mirth dancing in his eyes. She tensed, wondering if he had gone crazy. "... Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I've got an idea," Kaito responded happily, then his smile dimmed slightly, "Sorry, Meiko."

"Sorry for wha-AAGAAHHH!" The tall brunette was cut off when Kaito pushed her, tumbling onto the lower platform near the door and landing on her back. With a groan, she clutched her head. The landing shocked her but not as much as seeing her best friend getting on his knees in complete submission.

"What the hell...!" Meiko gasped, angry and terrified. She was already on her feet, "YOU MORON! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!"

"Look, I didn't want to push you! I already apologized beforehand!"

Meiko's jaw dropped. Unbelievable. _Pushing her_? Was he seriously worrying about that _now_? Did he take her for an idiot?

"I don't care about that!" Meiko screamed over the wind, stomping her boot into the snow and wishing she had something to throw at him, "Get down here right now!"

"I can't!" Kaito shouted back. Meiko stopped glaring and instead backed up against the railing, worriedly watching him.

"W-Why? Are you too injured? Can't you jump?" She then brought her arms up, wincing as a chilly breeze slapped her sharply. "Here, I'll catch you!"

Kaito couldn't help chuckling sarcastically, "I knew you'd say something like that. You're so heroic, Meiko... macho even," Seeing her blush ferociously, he laughed before she could retort, "I wouldn't want you any other way." Meiko froze on the spot, unable to form words. He only grinned, appearing like the class clown he normally was. Then his expression morphed into utmost, almost scary seriousness. He whipped his head, shouting.

"KASAAAAANE!"

Mountain boots tore up the snowy roof as the red-headed owner charged forward. Her gaze momentarily flickered to the mother ship right above her, its ladder dangling helplessly above her by several feet. Then she looked at her crouching senior.

_Ah_, her cherry eyes sparkled with mischief knowing, _I get it now._

"KAITO!" She shouted back in confirmation, becoming a speedy sprinter as she zipped towards him. Her chainsaw banging against her swelling back, she had to keep herself from stopping. The lasers hit where her feet once where, grazing her hair and shoulders. She was momentarily thrown off guard when two blasts hit her left side, stumbling when cold liquid oozed down her lower back.

Still, she kept running.

Suddenly she was on the school track, outrunning her rivals, who were puffing like crazy to keep up with her. The sun scorched her back, and she immediately knew she was going to get that gross, uneven tan despite all the sunscreen lathered on. Short bursts of adrenaline kept her going as her feet flew across the soft pavement.

Teto was on the last lap, her ears filled with insane cheering. She briefly caught her (usually composed and well-mannered) mother, standing on the bleachers and screaming her name like a victory battle cry.

"Go, Teto, go...," Teto breathed, her sunny hallucination fading back into her snowy predicament. Suddenly grinning, she moved even faster, inspired by her hard work and determination. Screw the people who call her lazy! She knew better than anyone that she herself worked hard for those damn accomplishments!

Painful, enduring moments like these... always lead her to the finish line!

"Yup," Teto whispered, panting as sweat poured down her face, "This'll be worth it!" Snow dramatically pounded against her body, sprinkling her hair white. She raced against time, and the mother ship was her rival. Most of all, she was racing against herself. Focusing her gaze ahead, she worked her knees and surged forward faster than lightning. Sensing a robot on her heels, she spun around and drove her chainsaw into its gears before taking off into flight again.

Kaito balanced himself on one knee, struggling to keep his wits about him. Bringing his palms together, he cupped his hands into a foothold. He gritted his teeth and tensed his muscles, readying himself for the redhead.

With an determined cry, Teto leaped like a lion, closing the last few feet between them.

Everything happened in slow motion.

On one foot, Teto landed in Kaito's cupped hands. Her senior, mustering his bicep strength, inhaled sharply before launching her off like a rocket. At the same time, the mother ship had flown right above them. As soon as Teto was in the air, she grabbed the ladder, all the while avoiding plasma blasts. Then she was beyond the horizon.

Meanwhile, Kaito had collapsed on his knees, bent over and barely supporting himself with aching arms, trying to recuperate. He broke into heavy gasps, blinking to retain vision. That had to be the first time he lifted something over 100 lbs. Then he clutched his throbbing foot, inhaling sharply at the puddle of blood below him. Robots continued firing at him, and he couldn't move.

Someone grabbed him from behind, yanking his scarf and forcing him to tumble below. Shocked, he screamed before hitting the ground. Rubbing his head, he groaned and met a pair of indignant brown eyes.

"Nice going, hotshot." Meiko sarcastically said before softening her voice, "Idiot..." She looked regrettably at his foot, biting her lower lip. "Can't you be more careful?" Kaito blinked in surprise, but before he could reply, multiple robots appeared above her and aimed their ready wristguns. His eyes widened.

"MEIKO!" Without a second thought, he shoved her out of the way just as their guns clicked. Meiko gasped in surprise when her back met the cold door, safely hidden by the roof. Kaito, retrieving his fallen gun, landed in the snow and fired. The robots quickly moved aside, making Kaito curse. Jeez, killing robots definitely wasn't one of his perks. Meiko was a lot better at fighting than he was. Not to say he was a wimp, but Meiko had her bigger share of brawls.

Meiko's arm immediately shot out and pulled Kaito underneath the roof as well. Startled, he grunted once his back hit the wall. He hissed when his ankle banged against the door's sharp crevice. He growled, turning on his friend.

"Stop with the yanking alre-!"

Meiko pushed past him with a crate of vodkas in her arms. Popping the corks open, she replaced them with napkins. Using a lighter she found from the back, she ignited the napkins. The liquid slooshed against glass, and a heavy smell burned her nostrils, stinging her eyes. Kaito's eyes widened in realization, and he immediately went for cover, plugging his ears. Meiko, rushing out into the open, yelled and with all her strength, flung the entire crate towards the robots.

**KABOOOOOOOOMF!**

Scrap metal and gears went flying. Meiko, bracing her head, ducked under just as the flames spewed. The roaring of explosions and robotic screeching echoed. Meiko slowly rose, lurching up the ladder and examining the mess once the smoke cleared. Evidence of heavy combustion was the burnt stains and lingering odor of oil. Charred bodies slid around restlessly.

Meiko clutched her chest, sighing heavily in relief as she slid back down. A long groan reached her ears, and she raced into the shadows where Kaito was. The boy sat against the battered door with his head strained skywards and eyebrows knitted painfully. Sweat ran down his face as he groaned again. Without hesitation, Meiko lifted the hem of his pant leg and grimaced at his injury.

"D...Does it look bad?"

"Not really." She immediately regretted her answer the moment Kaito started to get up. A painful jolt up his leg was all it took for him drop back to the ground, hissing.

"I can't, no. It hurts... I can't walk anymore." he spat grimly. He looked incredibly grave. Snowflakes littered his hair and clothes, and he sneezed. Meiko's heart thrummed painfully as she handed him her jacket. She then looked at her lap, guiltily chewing her bottom lip. Kaito looked up, noticing how her face adopted a pale color and her brows pinching together. "Oh no, don't go making that look." he scolded, "This isn't your fault."

Meiko flinched, "Yes, it is. If I hadn't rushed you, none of this would've happened. Now you're hurt, and Teto is gone. I should've known this would've happened!"

"That's not true. Neither of us can believe foreseeing the future is possible."

"Well, I can!" Meiko stubbornly insisted, trying to ignore the fact she'd already lost in the argument. She looked as if she were trying not to explode. Her lips gave the slightest tremble. "Maybe if I'd known we'd be in this mess, I would've prevented us from being here! No- this wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for that Piko boy!" she then adopted a seething tone, "Jesus Louise, why'd he have to go and interfere with today's plans? I wanted to bring Rin to the aquarium!"

Kaito shifted his gaze uncomfortably, adjusting his bad leg. He watched his friend pace across the grate; well, stomping was more accurate. She was freaking out.

"And why did Len have to be leader? He shouldn't have let Miku tag along; God knows what's up her sleeve!" Meiko fumed, steam blowing out of her ears, "Now everyone's separated and we're being attacked by robots armed with laser guns! On top of that, I'm stuck on a frozen cart with a cripple!" she then snapped to him, "We have no plan, no backup, and no Teto. We're officially doomed."

Kaito kept quiet.

"This is Len's fault too! Being so sure of himself and all-ARGH!" Meiko shook her head, face flushed and breathing heavily. She then closed her eyes, gritting her teeth, "This just can't be happening." Passion is in Meiko's blood, and you'd see her inner fire just radiating. Kaito knew this since they first met, but it took him a while to realize her passion could also be a mask.

When Meiko's feelings were hurt, she'd brashly act like nothing bothered her (until later when he'd find her sniffling in an empty room). When she become insecure, she'd toughen up and ignore her appearance (until he caught her frowning and hovering near mirrors). When she became scared, she'd lose her temper more easily.

Kaito peered at Meiko through his dark bangs, finally whispering her name. That was enough to stop her in mid-sentence, freezing up and immediately, her eyes were on him. For a moment, they just stared at each other. Kaito kept looking at her with an unusually serious look, one that bore deep into her soul, silently beckoning her to be honest with herself.

Bitter tears finally welled up in her eyes as she then shamefully lowered her gaze, suppressing an angry sob. Kaito gallantly looked away, knowing how she hated it when people saw her cry.

"Kaito, I'm scared."

Those timid words made him look back to see her curled in a ball, shoulders quaking. Kaito's heart reached out for her, and he smiled slightly. His hand reached out to pat her shoulder-

Violent tremors frightened the seniors, making them grab onto whatever possible as the entire platform vibrated. Pebbles rained down on them, and a loud gust swept over them. Meiko screamed and immediately scooted towards Kaito. Crashing noises and intense shouting reached their ears. A sharp, high-pitched wail momentarily shocked them until it passed.

Gasping and recovering their senses, the teens looked overhead and witnessed bright flashes of light coming from the other roof. Worry and suspicion plagued Meiko's mind. Turning to Kaito, she told him, "Don't move, I'm gonna check this out." Without even giving him a chance to reply, she readied her gun and climbed the ladder.

A harsh blast of wind nearly knocked Meiko off her feet. Shuddering, she looked around to find Crypton robots soaring from aircrafts before landing heavily on the selected roofs, then they would climb through the windows like spiders; it was a nasty infestation, and she shivered at the thought.

Trudging through the thigh-high snow, Meiko braved the winter with her trusty railgun. Looking ahead, she saw two figures wildly thrashing in the wind. Growing cautious, she ducked and approached slowly, trying not to give herself away. Her heart beat faster than a drum, and her arms were tingling like crazy. She nearly shrieked when she started slipping all over the ice.

"URRFF!"

The brunette fell to her knees as soon as a heavy object, wearing yellow and white, went flying right above her head, making her hair stand. Meiko's eyes quickly followed and witnessed a body crashing onto the roof with a strangled gasp, landing several feet away. Blinking twice, she got to her feet and cautiously stepped forward. A bob of blonde hair was all it took for the senior to shriek.

"RIN?!" Scrambling to her friend's side, she knelt down and painstakingly gathered her head into her lap. She was horrified at the sight of her injuries; battered head, large cuts, deformed bruises, and fractured ribs. Her eyes were shut, and she was panting horribly. Every intake of breath was like crushing her lungs, and she could barely make out who was above her, squinting her eyes.

"Munh... M-Mei...k..."

Oh god, she sounded terrible. The girl couldn't even speak!

Meiko's face crumpled. Before she could do anything, however, a long rope suddenly shot out of nowhere and coiled around Rin's ankle.

**KACHAK!**

Rin's body was sent flying again, crashing onto the metal none too gently. Her head hit a sharp edge, causing a ruckus in her nerves. Meiko screeched in horror. A taller girl approached, caressing her brass knuckles. Rin coughed, blood spewing from her mouth. Her vision was getting hazier, but she could still recognize the stark arrival of her stepsister.

"How does it feel, Project Rin?" Lily sneered, cocking her head as she watched her sister crawl away like a frightened mouse. A dark grimace contorted her face as she grabbed her by the leg, yanking her forward and driving her heel into her neck.

A choked whine immediately escaped the smaller girl as she involuntarily curled into a ball, shielding her face. Her eyes were screwed shut with renewed pain.

"Childish attire, feigned affections, and timidity: your foolproof facade," Lily hissed icily, stomping onto her head, "This won't trick me!" Retracting her whip, she immediately started lashing out.

"Aren't you supposed to be the best? EVEN BETTER THAN ME?" she furiously demanded, snapping repeatedly at her. "That's why Father and Mother loved you! You were already the best of us! EVEN ME! You didn't have to lift a finger to be talented! Not like me!" She cracked her whip again and again, aiming for her head each time, rewarded with her screams of pain. With each hit, Rin's cries grew weaker and softer. Blood went everywhere.

Nearby, Meiko's eyes widened in fury and disbelief. Clenching her fists, she charged towards them with a vengeful roar, throwing herself onto Lily. Caught off-guard, the older blonde barely had time to process the situation as the furious brunette yanked her back by the hair, a short shriek escaping her lips.

Forcing Lily into a mid-fall, Meiko harshly connected her knee with the small of Lily's back before yanking her upwards and driving her elbow deep into her solar plexus, eliciting a strangled cry.

The whip clattered onto the railing as a coughing Lily fell to her knees and grasped her throat with both hands, struggling to recuperate. Meiko took this opportunity to hoist Rin on piggy-back and run for their lives.

Scared to death, Meiko hardly thought as she sprinted across the roof. Fights didn't thrill her like they used to; in fact, this was one she wanted-no, _needed_ to avoid. She had to get Rin and herself to safety, away from that psychotic black widow. She was more panicky when it came to running across the ice.

Rin's battered body bounced against her back, and the girl was hardly functioning as her head leaned into the space between Meiko's shoulders. Her breathing broke into short, erratic patterns; she sounded like she was swallowing nails.

"I got you, Honey. I got you." Meiko whispered, trying to reassure them both. She caught a glimpse of blood in Rin's scalp and became even more anxious. Dammit, she should've moved sooner! She couldn't let her die. Never. Silver aircrafts rocketed above her, their engines roaring. She hardly paid attention to the mother ship, its lights flashing erratically.

Vaguely, she wondered if Teto had managed to hack into the hard drive.

A violent crash behind them sent a jolt down Meiko's spine. Barely turning her head, she was horrified to see Lily firing a laser rifle. The fire-red blasts seared past her head and incinerated the snow in front of her. Meiko, gasping, quickly escaped into the fog.

The hail interfered with Lily's range. And annoyingly enough, her aim was getting rusty. Close combat was her forte. Eyes narrowing, she still quietly pursued the girls. Cocking her rifle, she readied it against her side and silently approached. She arrived at the end of the train with no one in sight. Puzzled, she cautiously approached the edge and peered down at the lower platform.

No one was there.

Meanwhile, meters away, Meiko was pulling herself up from another side of the train, having stood on the window railing and holding onto the roof's railing. Grunting in effort, she wrapped a tight arm around Rin, all the while hanging on.

Watching Lily from behind, she gritted her teeth in effort as she silently snuck away. One could only dread the possibilities if she were to turn around. Meiko broke into a cold sweat just thinking about it and quickly focused on the task at hand. She started climbing towards the nearest open window. Moving proved to be very difficult, considering she was holding onto a fourteen-year-old girl weighing around ninety pounds, not to mention they were hundreds of feet above ground. Also, the fact that a woman just above them was trying to kill them both...

No pressure or anything, right?

A hollow chuckle escaped Meiko's lips, though she honestly didn't find anything funny about the situation. She slowly edged across the side of train. The wind kept running through her hair, and everything moved past in a blur. Suddenly, the train escalated to a higher platform, much to her horror. They were now even higher than before, soaring above buildings.

The windows reflected the dark sky, and Meiko dreaded seeing the clouds coming in. The hail rained against her back, and it only made things worse. She wasn't sure if she would be able to hang on much longer; her arms were becoming pudding.

The sight of a rattling window instantly revived Meiko's hopes. It was left wide open as if it had been waiting for her. Her face lit up, and she eagerly started for it.

Red-painted fingers reached for the windowsill, and she grunted in effort. Sweat dripping down her back, she mustered her aching arms to stretch across the small space and-!

The entire train vibrated on the escalating tracks, soaring over twin highways stretching across Bar River. Miles away, she could see Riverwalk, and the Tokyo port stood just beyond the horizon. The people moved like busy ants below, blissfully unaware of what was happening just above them. The buildings suddenly looked like blocks, small enough for Meiko to just reach out and pluck from the ground.

Meiko inhaled sharply, forcing herself to look away, "Don't look down... don't look down... don't look-!" She nearly screamed as the entire train convulsed, sputtering on the tracks. She lost her footing and slipped, forcing her grip to loosen. She was now clinging to the window, and Rin was quickly slipping from under her arm. Terror racked her senses into action as she impulsively grabbed her friend's shirt collar. Her body was in full motion, swinging from side to side and clinging to the roof with one arm.

Below, she thought she saw strange devices blinking green. They were fairly small in size, big as tennis balls. Wires connected them to form a dark chain on the spinning wheels. Her dangerous situation distracted her from this strange discovery. Dread and panic overwhelmed her as she desperately fought to keep her grip on the window, all the while trying to shake Rin awake. As the train rumbled, she screamed shortly and broke into a cold sweat.

"Oh my god... Oh my god...!"

No. There's no way she can do this alone..!

As if answering her thoughts, something heavy and cold rested against Meiko's head. An unnerving click sent her brain haywire. Her mind screamed danger and sent multiple signals to her body, making her freeze on the spot entirely (like a statue). Her eyes barely shifted to find a gun barrel pinpointed against her temple, and its owner was a kneeling Lily.

"Not another inch."

Heavy footsteps echoed in mechanical sync, and furious whirring noises resounded in the entire area. Multiple cartridges were emptied and reloaded, and robotic voices hummed in perfect rhythm.

Lily smirked victoriously, staring down at her prey like a falcon; in a sense, the dangling girls were the helpless mice. Hunger burned in her green eyes as she licked her lips. Behind her stood a swarm of trial robots at her disposal. Sharp buzzing met their eardrums, and laser targets aimed at the brunette's arms, legs, and head. The robots readied the guns, remaining still as statues.

All Lily had to do was give the order to open fire.

Knowing she had this authority, Lily's eyes sparkled. Meiko, sensing a sneer knifing into her neck, could only dangle from the roof and listen Lily's harsh snickers, relishing her victory like a hyena.

"Mmm...," A long sigh escaped from the blonde woman as she sneered again, "You're smarter than you look. At least my sister keeps good company. Even better, she fights better than other trainees," Her face then grew grim as she looked down at her in disgust, "Yet somehow, I'm not satisfied. Beating her was all I ever wanted; it was my drive... overshadowing her glory," Meiko noticed how oddly disappointed she sounded but listened further, "Battling every challenger and obstacle, is it all truly over? The blood and the fearful looks in their eyes... is it really going to end here?"

Meiko's eye twitched. Clearly, this woman had violence issues. She suddenly gasped in pain as her arm trembled violently under the heavy weights of both herself and Rin. Seeing this, Lily frowned and nudged her barrel even further into her forehead, evoking a panicked yelp from Meiko. Shaking her head, Lily stood up and sheathed her gun.

Meiko's arm shook furiously, unable to support her any longer. With a terrified yelp, her fingers unclenched, and she started falling. Immediately, her arms wounded around Rin. Just as things started spinning, multiple coils locked around her back, jerking her to a stop.

Meiko shockingly saw the robots holding onto thick cords supplied from their arsenals, supporting her existence. Lily stared down at her like a warden, unsmiling and cocking her head.

"But now it's time to end this. Even someone like you has limits..."

With a snap of her fingers, the cords supporting Meiko came tumbling loose. She immediately began falling. Screaming, she latched onto Rin. Just as her head was about to fly into the spinning wheels, she was immediately yanked up. The cords had tightened around her again, squeezing her like a bottle of ketchup.

Lily's malicious laughter rang in her ears, and red colored her vision.

This woman was toying with her!

Meiko gritted her teeth, instinctively reaching for her gun and aimed it at Lily, who immediately stopped laughing. Her other arm kept Rin in a tight hug. The robots immediately reacted, drawing their guns until Lily stopped them, looking calm as ever.

"You're frightened." She stated simply, eying her trembling gun. Tilting her head, she then asked, "You've never aimed a gun at someone, have you?"

"...I have," Meiko inhaled sharply before continuing, "I just never wanted to do it again." Lily looked amused and a little surprised. So, she had carried a weapon all this time but held back?

Green eyes glittered with interest, "Have you killed that person?" As expected, Meiko's face hardened. She glared at the blonde hatefully as a bitter taste exploded in her mouth.

"That's none of your business!"

Lily chuckled darkly. With a flick of her wrist, her whip came flying out. She rounded it above her head, forming a spinning circle. It whooshed against the wind, humming. Then she thrashed it downards. Meiko cried out when the steel tip met her skin, forcing the gun out of her hand. It tumbled below where a local neighbhorhood was, disappearing into the distance. Horrified, she then stared up into Lily's burning eyes and was immediately swallowed in fire.

"Look here," Lily spoke icily as she pulled up her sleeve, revealing a timed device wired into her arm. The numbers read 1:31, which only kept dropping.

Meiko's eyes widened in horrified realization. Her violent past taught her many things, including bomb usage. She knew a detonater when she saw one, even regrettably participating in an event like this. The nightmarish memory made Meiko shake her head multiple times, blinking rapidly as if what she were hallucinating. Those blinking devices armed on the windows and wheels, along with the trigger needled into Lily's veins. It could only mean one thing.

"YOU'RE INSANE!" She screamed, clutching Rin even tighter, "And you wanted to accomplish... whatever you're after, by blowing things people up? There's kids on this train!"

"So you understand," Lily chuckled, eyes flashing, "If my heart stops beating, then everything will become nothing but scrap." She then cocked her head, "I think I just saved lives, stopping you from shooting me. Do you still feel in charge?" Meiko snarled hatefully, struggling to keep her own body in the shape of a tight ball, using her feet as a leverage. Rin was aligned between her arms and lower torso, barely contained.

Rin's head hung loosely, hair falling into her eyes. Her hair matted with sweat and blood, and her bruises darkening, life was slowly leaving her. Every faint breath she took sounded painful; it sounded like her lungs were being crushed. What sounded like her internal struggle finally came to a halt as she suddenly jerked before melting bonelessly into Meiko, cold and motionless.

Meiko gasped, eyes dropping to Rin.

"R... Rin?"

There was no answer. Not even a breath. Sweat shone on Meiko's face as she now grabbed Rin's shoulder, trying to shake her awake. She shouted at her friend to wake up, please wake up! Distress and desperation etched on her stricken face, she even tried slapping her. Nothing worked. Rin's head slumped to the side, limp and beaten to a bloody pulp.

"RIN! RIN!"

The robots stirred confusedly as the brunette continued grieving, turning to their mistress. Lily's lips tightened, cramming her boot into Meiko's fingers, evoking a pained yelp. Lily then grit her teeth, twitching furiously at the sight of her sister. She casually aimed her rifle directly at her head.

The smell of sweat, blood, and fumes irritated Meiko's lungs, who coughed profusely. Tears of rage and helplessness burned her eyes as she clenched her jaw. With an angry cry, she defiantly threw herself between Rin and the offending weapon.

"I expected more out of her." Lily murmured, ignoring the brunette's actions and moved her muzzle closer. Past the brunette's quivering body, she stared at Rin's dangling head and wondered if she was truly dead. The faint, almost unnoticeable rising of her chest proved she wasn't. Lily would soon change that.

Dammit...

Goddammit!

Meiko wanted to scream her lungs out and thrash like a baby. Angrily, she held Rin against her body, silently raging into her shoulder. Was it impossible for her to even protect this little girl she called her friend? With an anguished cry, she squeezed her eyes shut.

No... she knew she was never truly strong. Pretending to be tough and threatening, all the while knowing it was all just a façade... it was only a matter of time until her true weakness bared its ugly head. Self-hatred and anger at her own helplessness convinced her into believing she should die. It was what she deserved for lying all this time, to herself and others. Clenching her jaw, she swallowed a bitter sob. Pushing Rin's head against her chest, she dreadfully awaited their fates.

Still... at least, she would die knowing she'd tried defending someone she cared about. She only regretted one thing. A grinning Kaito flashed right before her eyes.

"I should've told you about my feelings." Her sob was muffled in Rin's shoulder.

"It's over." Lily breathed, relishing her glorious moment before frowning coldly down on the girls, especially Rin. The robotic henchmen formed tight quarters, closing in. They aimed their guns quietly, barrels hovering right above the girls. Eyes narrowing, Lily then ordered, "Open fire." She too, released the trigger.

The lights of gunfire lit the entire area. The moment a hiss escaped from the muzzle, Rin's eyes barely moved, her glassy pupils reflecting the bullets whizzing towards her head. Her vision became strangely clear as Meiko's petrified screams pierced her eardrums and the previous events replayed in her head.

"BLAME ME!" Meiko grieved as she hugged her tightly, screaming furiously at the top of her lungs, "KAAITOOOOO!"

That piercing echo traveled through Rin's eardrums, triggering her muscles to life and brain into instant activation.

Blue eyes snapped opened.

_"EMERGENCY MODE TRIGGERED. INITIATE CODE RED."_

No one expected the screeching twist of events. The tables were immediately turned when a blinding light enclosed the train. The robots continued to fire as a silhouette emerged, unaffected. Blinded, Lily hissed, dropping her gun and shielding her eyes while peeping between her fingers in bewilderment. She squinted, trying to see through the brilliance. When the light and smoke finally vaporized, her eyes enlarged disbelievingly.

Wrenching free from the brunette's hold, the blonde shot up and just before the bullets could touch her, an electrified shield immediately engulfed her, vaporizing the bullets right before creating contact.

Death wasn't an option.

Rin's clothes immediately started morphing, and her skin became harder and shinier. Her bruises slowly disappeared, and her bones replenished quickly. Adrenaline drowned her head of previous thoughts. Lime pooled into her corneas, erasing any trace of blue. It was like storm clouds ravaging a sunny day. A sailor uniform now fitted her body, shorts allowed her durable movement, and a headset attached with a microphone.

Even as her headed pulsed and pinched every nerve in her brain, micro tears were eating her skin alive like leeches, and even though her legs barely gave balance, escaping was no longer an option. Not anymore. Raw energy burned inside like a hungry, ravaging fire. Her head burned with fervor, and soon, something rapturous and powerful replaced the pain in her body. Her arms tingled, and her mind sharpened. Her mind created a barrier around her sudden drive for violent compensation, shutting out pain and memories.

The cyborg snapped upright, rising and craning her neck erratically. She quickly scanned her surroundings, processing information in her head. The weather was below 40 degrees, the electric train was running southwest at 240 miles/hour, and there were enemy signals everywhere on her mental chart.

Specially, there was one right in front of her.

Her computerized voice mechanically informed her brain of the situation, scanning Lily with lasers, "TARGET: TAKASHI LILY. 19 YEARS... PROCESSING... PROCESSING," The gears in her computerized mind worked quickly, gathering information and scanning her body and pinpointing her weakest points, exploiting them with horrendous tactics. She then analyzed her weapons; its quality and approximate impact. "THREAT LEVEL: HIGH." Her pupils shrank in calculated awareness before widening once more, locking on her target. "OBSERVATION COMPLETE. COMMENCE ATTACK."

A crackling explosion forced everyone, including Lily back onto the next cart. The impact caused Meiko to slam against the train. Screaming, she shortly witnessed sparks ravaging above as her cords came tumbling loose. The robots that supported her existence were already deactivated. A screaming Meiko watched the newly turned cyborg rush towards the enemy line, hands reaching out.

Then she started falling.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAGGHH!"

"MEIKO!"

Eyes snapping open at the familiar voice, she shortly witnessed someone grabbing her wrists with a loud grunt, jerking her fall to a halt. She nearly screamed out of pure shock.

Kaito?!

Meiko could only utter a strangled cry, clinging onto Kaito as the train shook them. Her entire body was dangling helplessly like a hook line. The thing she could do was grab Kaito's wrists tightly and hope he wasn't planning on letting go. Kaito's eyes flared in desperation, and he sprawled even further across the edge, trying to pull her up using all his weight.

Kaito's strenuous labor on his leg immediately took its toll. Two tendons ripped apart, and a violent scream ripped from his throat when fire consumed his left leg in lasting agony. Meiko immediately went down again, dangling once more.

"KAITO!" Meiko was terrified to see torment etching his now red face, his blood vessels nearly popping. He swore loudly, grinding his teeth as he tightened his grip around Meiko's wrists. Hail furiously rained on them, impounding their backs.

"RRRGGGHHH..." Kaito tried again, using his entire weight again and ignoring the excruciating pulsation in his leg. Due to the slippery conditions and the fact he'd further crippled himself earlier when he tailed Meiko left him nearly immobilized. Not to mention the fact Meiko was wearing heavy armor certainly didn't make anything easier.

Bolts flashed across the sky, causing the teens to jolt. The cart roared and rumbled, causing their bodies to shake. Both teens shouted in terrified surprise as their hands suddenly let go, making horror explode in Meiko's mind like a time bomb.

"AAAGGHH!" Meiko screamed, making Kaito react at once. In a split second, he hurled his scarf towards her like a lifeline, relieved when she immediately grabbed it. But to their horror, the scarf wasn't strong enough to hold Meiko's weight and started to tear.

Tears finally formed in her brown eyes as she finally realized the unavoidable. She didn't want to die! Not when she hadn't truly lived! Her entire life flashed before her eyes.

This wasn't fair...

NO! There was still so much she wanted to do!

She wanted to graduate and go to college! Earn a master's degree in aikido and jiujutsu! And she at least wanted to try drinking all those alcoholic beverages when she became a legal adult!

She wanted to watch her friends grow up and raise families. She wanted to prove to her own blood she wasn't a violent, bad-tempered failure! She wanted to laugh, cry, and live through brute pain! She wanted to have kids! She wanted to-...!

The scarf was already stretching at its limit, tearing halfway.

"MEIKO I WON'T LET YOU FALL! I WON'T!" Kaito shrieked, trying to pulley her up without tearing the fabric even further. Angry curses escaped him in a single breath as he now threw more than half his body over the edge, frantically trying to reach her while slipping as well.

Meiko then realized at this rate, Kaito would fall too. And she'd never forgive herself if she allowed him to die on her part. She'd much rather have him alive and livid than sleeping in a grave.

A sad smile broke her face as she watched her friend screaming and reaching out for her, terror and desperation filling his eyes. Suddenly, he was reduced to the sweet, gentle boy who had cried when his mother left him. A stinging sensation gathered in her eyes as her fingers continuously slipped. Terror and desperation left her as she breathed, finally, reluctantly accepting her fate.

Looking up into his eyes, she smiled wateringly at him, tears glistening her eyes, "It's time to let go."

Kaito's eyes widened at her statement, angrily demanding, "What are you saying?!" He shouted, hoping to yell her back into common sense. At the same, he was trembling ferociously, not because he was furious, but because the thought of losing her would end him. No... he didn't want to lose another woman important in his life!

No, she didn't mean those words! This couldn't be happening!

The scarf ripped another half inch.

Meiko closed her eyes, "We argued and did stupid things, like the time we climbed into the rhino den in third grade? Oh god!" she laughed hollowly, her voice dropping to a whisper, "Still, you have no idea how much those moments meant to me... I'm glad they happened."

"Stop sermonizing and grab my hand!" Kaito shouted, gasping furiously. The scarf continued to tear, intensifying his panic. Screaming with effort, he shot out his hand towards hers but no avail. They were merely inches away from touching.

Meiko merely grinned, "You saved me so many times before, and I never even thanked you for it! Telling me my life had meaning, risking your butt standing up to my family, even rescuing from that gang... you were always there for me!" Tears gathered in her eyes as she breathed slowly, "I didn't know what kindness was... until I met you." Kaito stared at her, unwilling to let her slip any further. The fabric kept tearing, and it sounded like alarms going off in his ears.

His arms went rigid as he now grabbed the scarf with both hands, itching to pull her up and onto the train.

"People believed you were just a hopeless, caustic moron at one point, but you're more than that. You're willing enough to throw away your own happiness and dignity just to make others laugh. But you're much more than that! You're...!" Tears finally bubbled down Meiko's cheeks as she breathed slowly, brown strands getting into her eyes as she blinked up at him with a strange resolve, inhaling before finally admitting the words she'd wanted to say since middle school, "You're the guy I fell in love with."

That sentence was all it time for Kaito to suddenly stop. Time froze. Anger and franticness melted away from his face as he now stared at Meiko, wondering if he heard right. The turning wheels roared in their ears, and the cart rattled.

The violent motion caused the lifeline to rip inch by inch.

Meiko's face crumpled into tears, "I... I thought we'd be together forever. Even when you changed... but..."

Kaito shook his head rapidly, cutting off her next sentence in a pleading voice, "No, Meiko, don't! Everything's going to be fine! Nothing's gonna happen between us, nothing-!" His voice immediately trailed when he noticed they were over the river now, and Meiko's life was hanging by a single thread. A strangled noise escaped his throat, eyes widening with disbelief and desperation. "NO! NO!" He kept reaching for her, straining his abdomen.

NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!

Meiko gazed overhead, her senses numbing. She was vaguely aware of the snow falling in torrents, making her final moments a beautiful scene. She would've snorted at the dramatic effects if not for what was happening right now. Finally, she gave her best friend one last, loving smile. The smile she'd given him for so long when he wasn't looking.

"I'll always love you... okay?" She whispered just before the scarf ripped in two.

Kaito's mind went into a blank as his friend's body started falling right before his eyes. She was falling faster than the snowflakes, and her eyes were closing as she kept smiling at him.

No...

"I'M NOT GIVING UP ON US!" Screaming with effort and determination, he flung himself off the train and grabbed Meiko in a mid-air embrace.

Meiko's eyes widened, "Kaito...?"

They were falling, falling fast. Their bodies were streaming objects hurling towards the river. The screeching of the tires and people's screams fell deaf on their ears. All at once, a soft sigh and milky arms enveloped them in an ethereal embrace.

Kaito's face barely lifted to see a white woman hunching over them with a smile, her presence barely visible to the eye. Warmth soothed his aching body as her arms supported their weight. Somehow, time was slowing around them, and the fall didn't seem as fast or frightening anymore. As for the woman, she offered an assuring smile.

Electric blue eyes widened as he stared at the woman, "You're..."

A loud whoop echoed as engines roared in his ears, suddenly causing the lady to vanish. Out of the corner of his eye, a dark object zipped and suddenly appeared beneath him. Someone gave a shout between joy and elation as he craned his neck before his jaw dropped in shock.

Hovering beneath was a rectangular jet similar to the ones he saw passing earlier. Crypton lettering encoded on the side, and inside, sitting in the pilot seat was none other than Teto.

"HEEEY GUYS!" she hollered excitedly through her mic, waving like a madman. Immediately, a ladder ejected from the bottom, and both teenagers wasted no time grabbing on. A giant grin ate Meiko's face as she stared at her friend in elated amazement.

"Teto! Oh my god!" she laughed disbelievingly, "You're alright?!"

"You hacked into the hard drive?!" Kaito piped up eagerly.

A scoff was heard through the speakers, "But, of course! A computer geek isn't worth her components if she can't even override a cheap fire wall!" she hummed in self-satisfaction, earning the awe of her seniors. "The mother ship's main computer is at a standstill, ready to evacuate. Most of those annoying aircrafts are now under my control~. I even managed to hike this sweet baby. Good thing I saw you guys tumbling in the wind."

Gratitude welled up in their chests as they grinned up at Teto, "You're the best." They replied in unison. The redhead only laughed.

"What are friends for?"

Meiko and Kaito hung onto the ladder, smiling expectantly up at the pilot. Teto grinned back. As the wind blew, the seniors' happy expressions dissipated after thirty seconds; they shared odd glances before clearing their throats impatiently. Teto finally noticed their obvious discomfort and arched her brow, "Uhhhh, what?"

"We're hanging four hundred feet above a river, we're injured, and freezing our asses off," Kaito clarified, arching his brow at her silence, "Wanna do something about that?"

Meiko's eyes narrowed into dark slits, "Teto?"

A nervous chuckle escaped the redhead, "Ahaha... yeah, about that. Um, I may have overused the circuits when I hacked into this jet. The doors are malfunctioning."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Meiko broke the silence, her voice on edge, "So you locked yourself in."

"And we're locked out." Kaito finished blandly, sounding just as irate.

Teto hesitated before sighing in defeat, "Yeah." The previously warm and fluffy atmosphere froze into cold tension as she anxiously looked through the glass, gulping at the sight of her annoyed friends. They looked like they wanted to strangle her.

"SHIT ON MY DICK!" Meiko screamed to the sky, nearly throwing her arms up and scaring her friends.

"Sakine Meiko!" Kaito exclaimed with surprise and revolt in his voice. Her swear words were getting even more creative each day. Seeing as she was about to unleash her temper on the world, he averted his eyes and saw the train moving quickly into the horizon. Sparks and robotic screeching drove her up the wall as she suddenly remembered the previous events.

Recalling Rin's stark transformation, she then gasped. Sailor attire, perfunctory behavior, durability surpassing human standards.

A flash of light erupted as several figures went flying through the air, including a white and yellow girl cutting through the clouds. Lighting exploded across the dark sky, spiraling around the pack of robots, electrocuting the area with a deafening roar.

"No w... a thunder storm?" Teto muttered disbelievingly, shifting her controls and the jet following suit. Peering through her visor, she zoomed in and gasped. "Wha... RIN!"

Kaito gaped, "Is that... VOCALOID mode?"

If the action up there wasn't enough, other robots were shooting at Rin from the roofs, which she easily evaded and fired projectiles at them. Meiko suddenly recalled the blinking devices on the carts. Turning to her friends, she nervously cleared her throat.

"Guys," Unexpectedly, they immediately gave her their full attention, "Don't panic at what I'm about to tell you, but..." she inhaled, "there's bombs on the train." Their reactions were nothing like Meiko hoped for. Teto screamed in dismay and shock, almost making Kaito fumble off the ladder, shouting incoherently before grabbing the rungs.

"WHAT THE HELL? B-B-BOMBS?!" Teto screamed intelligently, eyes popping out of her sockets as she sat up from her seat, "WHY? HOW-?!"

"There's no time to explain!" Meiko barked, silencing her friends' bantering. Gritting her teeth, she wished she could've broken the news differently and glared overhead. "We have less than an hour to rescue the others, help Rin, and get everyone the hell off that train." Noticing Kaito's intense stare, she suddenly recalled the memory of confessing her love to him prior. Blushing furiously, she yelled, "WELL? ANY IDEAS?"

Something in Kaito's phone went off. Blinking at the collar ID, he immediately answered.

"What's up, Len?... yeah, yeah. I know already." Confused questions was heard over the other line. Kaito rubbed his ear, "I'm fine... we're all okay, save for the injuries. I think I sprained my leg though."

Meiko motioned for Teto to fly towards the train, which she immediately did. Yanking the phone away from his ear, Kaito glared at the receiver with an irritated hiss.

"Well sorry! Me and Meiko were too busy falling to our deaths at that time to call back! Anyway, what have you been doing all this time?" he shouted back, seeming angrier at his brother's response, "Wha..." His expression became annoyed, "Oh shut up! At least I'm not the one who-!"

"Give me that!" Meiko snatched the phone from his hand, trying to ignore the burning tingle in her palm when their fingers brushed. Putting the phone on speaker, she quickly explained everything in a single breath. "LEN! Rin's crazy stepsister is trying to kill her out of jealousy issues, and there's a trigger attached to her pulse! She almost tried to kill me and Rin, and I saw the numbers on her timer! It's set to blow in less than an hour, so we've got to start evacuating now!"

"_Wha... I..."_ Surprise was evident in Len's voice as he swallowed thickly, clearly overwhelmed, "_A...Al's already rounding up the passengers, but the NND is trying to deactivate the bombs-"_

"There's no time!" Meiko hissed, "I found a lot of bombs attached to the wheels, and Rin's already in VOCALOID mode! She'll wreck the train!"

_"V-VOCALOID MODE?! You're sure?!" _A clamor of voices buzzed on the other line, making Meiko wince. Indignant protests and yells rang, and she raised a brow.

_"What is VOCALOID mode? What's going on with Rin?"_ It was Miku.

Eyebrows twitching, Meiko glared through the speakers, "I'm not giving out personal information for free. Especially not to spies or traitors!"

_"M-Meiko..."_

Meiko refused to acknowledge the hurt astonishment. Like she'd give in to her that easily. There was more shuffling and whispering until Len finally spoke up again.

_"S-Sorry, Meiko-nee." _He said, clearing his throat, _"We only have an hour, huh? We're changing tactics."_ his voice sounded serious now, _"If we can't convince the others to join our side, we have no choice but to do this ourselves... first, does Kasane have control over the mother ship?"_

"The entire fleet."

A disappointed sigh, _"I didn't think- wait, really?_" Clearly, he hadn't expected this. He then cleared his throat,_ "Okay. Great. Anyway, we can't let Lily die. If she goes..."_

Kaito cringed, just grasping the situation, "You don't have to say it, Len." he then gritted his teeth, "Damn it. How are we gonna stop them?"

"Hey!" It was Teto who'd apparently overheard their conversation, "I'm controlling an air fleet here! Most of the jets I'm manipulating, including the mother ship has passenger seats. Can't we just evacuate everyone ourselves?" Everyone went silent. "Also, I can help Rin out with her fight..."

Meiko scowled, knowing Teto's intentions. "Explain how charging into the battle will solve anything!" she grumped before admitting, "I already tried that."

Kaito frowned, "What about the evacuation site? And the robots? Aren't they still a problem?"

_"Rin and her sister are fighting towards the front. All the passengers are in the back carts." _Miku said, sounding agreeable, "_Land your jets on a clear site, Kasane-san. Me, Len-kun, and Megurine will handle the rest."_

"Roger!"

_"Not a bad plan..."_ Len murmured thoughtfully over the phone before gasping, _"Wait, I-I'm getting a call. It's from D-!"_ Static corrupted his voice. His sentences erupted in syllables. It was hard to distinguish his words.

The signal went dead.

* * *

Lily raced away from the site, evading the lightning blasts splicing the tiles where each footstep landed.

The cyborg stomped towards Lily, using jerky, erratic movements. Hair flew around her stoic, menacing gaze as green eyes peered at the enemy. Each crackling step lit up the roof like firecrackers.

Robots came out of windows to assist Lily, stepping in front of her and firing their guns. Bullets whizzed toward the target, whose eyes immediately widened. Calculating the speed and range, she immediately reacted.

Electricity shot out from the base of her forehead and smoldered the bullets with a sharp hiss. Lily covered her head as another gust interrupted her stance. Staring past the perimeter, she saw the VOCALOID firing rounds of bolts at her robots, discharging them.

"Incredible..."

Eyes widening, Lily gaped at the sight and took a few steps back. Of all things, this raw power was the last she expected out of this girl. She inhaled slowly, trying to convince herself she wasn't hallucinating. Watching as the metal girl electrocuted the last of her troop, she finally drew her weapon.

The VOCALOID finally turned on Lily, palms charging.

Rocket flares roared in their ears as more robots arrived on jetpacks, hovering right near Lily. The said girl immediately regained her confidence. With a haughty grin, she pointed an accusing finger at her sister.

Robotic screeching broke out as the aviators immediately engaged, firing rockets from their chests. Swinging her feet, the VOCALOID charged her fists and blasted off into flight, leaving a trail of sparks. The first missile came in contact with her fists as she deflected it towards two robot, triggering a explosion that affected the others, thrusting them back.

Electric bolts disintegrated the other missiles right before they came two feet within reach. The largest robot charged towards her with a gun retracted, hitting her with such speed and power she didn't have time to block and was sent flying into the forest.

Fifteen robots remained, cocking their laser rifles and waiting anxiously. The train had already left her landing site, but Lily couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. A loud grunt was heard and something appeared in the air, it looked like a tiny star.

The object dramatically grew in size as it rapidly approached. Lily's eyes widened and realized it was a 6' tree. And it was about to crush them.

Several robots were quick enough to fly away, the rest kept firing until the branches crunched against their titanic bodies. Behind the tree, the VOCALOID added to the impact by delivering a powerful kick against the bark, sending the tree and robots crashing down the bridge.

A rocket exploded in the place where Rin was, who was already hurling towards the attacker. Charging her palms, she landed on the robot's chest and punched straight through its head, electrifying it before blasting off again. She leaped just as it exploded into bolts and ashes.

Adrenaline drowned in Lily's head as she witnessed the glorious fight, amazed at the speed and action. The city was below them, and they were fast approaching another dark tunnel. This only heightened the danger, overwhelming the situation once more.

Leaping, the cyborg engaged in a short fight with a robot, quickly disarming it and slamming a fist through its chest. Using inhuman leg strength, she kicked the corpse flying into the others and sent them crashing into the perimeter. Crypton jets came flying from the clouds, and more robots came springing out from the train, aiming its guns directly at her.

She was surrounded.

The first jet came flying towards her, firing its guns. She ran and rolled out of the way, activating wrist lasers from her gauntlets and shooting at the nearby robots before charging towards the large fleet. The jets hotly pursuing her, she suddenly ran up a robot's body before flipping in the air.

The jets behind her crashed into the fleet, triggering multiple explosions. Catching a laser gun in mid-air, Rin landed heavily and fired her weapons.

Encircled by firing robots and jets, The VOCALOID calculated its landing hits and blasted off into flight again, swinging her feet like a battering ram against the robots while firing at the jets. A laser barely grazed her shoulder as she instantly reacted and executed a handspring.

A collapsed robot looked up and shakily operated a button on its chest before firing its head like a cannon. The flying head cut through the air and hit the VOCALOID's back, throwing her off and exploding into fire.

The cyborg went down, falling and crashing through the roof. An eerie silence filled the air, along with smoke and crumbling rubble. Lily cautiously approached the site, peering through the dust and started to look down into the darkness of the room.

WHOOOSH!

A colorful blur burst from the pile of rubble.

The VOCALOID twitched. Liquid fire shot through her spine, and tantalizing sparks endorsed her palms, which quickly burst into electricity. Lily, stepping away, finally broke into a mad sprint towards the other direction. Bolts crackled at the base of the cyborg's forehead before exploding into splitting shockwaves.

Numerous robots fell by the second, instantly deactivating.

The jets fired.

The largest robot charged before slamming its fists towards Rin. She leaped about twelve feet in the air, hurling above the pack. Leaping from jet to jet, she slammed her fists against the glass like an angry gorilla, not stopping until she sent currents into the turbines before leaping.

From afar, Lily's eyes shot wide open as she witnessed the triggered explosions, sending hundreds of dollars of equipment down the drain as the aircrafts went down in flames. Hot air roared in her face, and she ducked to avoid flying metal.

Suddenly, they were in the tunnel. Shadows dashed across the metal roof like elusive creatures, silhouetting the action around them. Lily witnessed her sister's face turning on hers within a flash of light, and then darkness blinded everything.

Robot bodies scraped and moved against the metal, followed up with heavy footsteps. Lily panted and lowered into a stance as she shakily tip-toed away, planting mines while trying to remain as quiet as possible. She could hardly see, and with the wind blowing in her ears, it was harder to pinpoint Rin's exact position. Still, at least neither of them could spot each other.

Just as she planted another mine, the light flashed before her eyes before witnessing Rin's face jumped right in her face. Shrieking, Lily broke into a furious sprint and ran like a bat out of hell. Zapping bolts disintegrated every spot she stepped, barely missing her by a few inches. As another jolting ray grazed her head, she nearly stumbled from the powerful impact.

A roaring explosion went off, and Lily had the courage to glance over her shoulder, sweating even further at what she saw.

The cyborg approached with dead eyes piercing right into her soul, walking right into her mines and setting them off. Every explosion left her unscratched as she walked through fire, not even gagging in the thick smog.

The only thing she could see was the unhesitant cyborg.

Something exploded right in front of her and erupted in flames, burning Lily and causing her to fall. With a shriek, she went tumbling from side to side on the moaning train, jerking her head to witness Rin charging another round of lightning in her position.

"YOU WON'T WIN!" Within a flash, she fired a rocket launcher from her belt and jerked at the trigger response. The projectiles met with a searing blazing backfire, lighting up the tunnel. The cyborg's stoic face was highlighted during the detonation, clashing with Lily's furious expression.

Lily took advantage of the darkness once more to fire rounds of rockets, only to be destroyed by Rin's bolts. Each rapid backfire lit up the area, and the only thing that was progressing was Rin's steady approach. Each attack Lily initiated was counterbalanced, quickly fueling her temper and fear.

For the first time in years, Lily broke into a heavy sweat.

Lily constantly switched her weapons, switching from every submachine and mini gun she had, desperately firing bursts to stop Rin. Seeing her weapons had no affect on a bionic weapon itself, she finally gritted her teeth. A string of Russian curses escaped her lips in a single breath.

No use... none of her military guns affected her, and she could easily deflect use of heavy firearms. If only there was a way to stop her from accessing electricity.

Then an idea hit her.

A rain of bolts came zapping towards her, brightening the area within a heartbeat. Lily impulsively ran away, jumping and dodging the incinerating fire with incredible speed she obtained from a lifetime's military training. She swept her legs and spun all at once, aiming a giant rocket launcher and firing.

An outburst of rockets rippled into the air and charged at Rin, who slowly raised a hand.

Each bolt met with another projectile. Multiple rockets spun like a spider's web met with the crackling impact of shockwaves. Within a flash, multiple explosions set off and smoke immediately dispersed. The heat of the aftermath roared in the cyborg's face, and dust corrupted the air. Unfazed, her eyes flitted across the area.

A sharp hiss met her ears, and her head immediately turn to witness a small object flying towards her. Lightning zapped it with a snap of her fingers, setting it off with a blinding flash, ruining her vision. With a harsh shriek, she immediately rubbed her throbbing eyes.

A long, thick whip sliced through the air and coiled around Rin's ankles. Unexpectedly, the whip extended and continued tangling around her from head to toe, trapping her effectively.

Squirming and kicking, the VOCALOID was forced to her knees. The lines squeezed her body almost like snakes would to helpless mice. Sparks emitted from her body. Clenching her teeth, she glared up at her captor and released everything she had.

"My whip is specially designed to withstand over 5.5 billion electric volts. Transmitting sparks won't work if these my trapping coils are containing you." Lily curtly explained with a grin, "Is this all you can do...?" She exploded into laughter before scowling darkly, "DON'T JOKE WITH ME!" Rage fueling her senses, she yanked Rin upward into the air. Sweat shone on Lily's face as she gasped furiously. Pivoting her foot, her whip kept Rin trapped as her body rammed against the tunnel's sides and train itself.

**BAMF!**

**THUMPP!**

**WHAAAM!**

Each time Rin's body met with rubble or metal, the smirk on Lily's face grew wider. She laughed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes.

"Stupid! The fact you're so limited to a few abilities... what kind of weapon are you supposed to be?! Shouldn't I be dead by now, huh?! You're so weak!" Yanking her forward, she harshly connected her foot against Rin's head with brute force and retracted her whip. The cyborg immediately went flailing into the railroad, vanishing from sight.

Lily panted, wiping her mouth with a grin. Hands on her knees, she listened and waited for the grinding of metal, screaming, anything that resembled a violent fall.

To her utter dismay, all she heard was silence.

"What the-" A loud, bloodcurdling scream traveled through the tunnel, bouncing off the walls and painfully resonating in her ears. Lily immediately clutched her ears, teeth grinding to distract her from the pain screaming in her eardrums. The entire train trembled at the wrathful wail.

_"NRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH_!"

A large, shiny projectile came pummeling towards her, electrified at top speed. With a barely contained gasp, her legs instantly started moving. The hissing wind current signified that its approach was extremely close, and she would soon be crushed.

Desperate enough to avoid death, she jumped off the train just in time to avoid a painful collusion. With her legs cramping and muscles straining, she threw in a last ditch effort to summon her whip and latch onto the window bar, swinging like Tarzan. Combat boots landed evenly on the roof.

Panting, Lily clutched her chest and wildly looked around. Right as she turned, she caught a glimpse of yellow before a channeled force powerfully dealt with her stomach, instantly winding her. At first she didn't feel anything, and time seemed to slow down when she witnessed the VOCALOID digging her heel into her gut.

Then the pain came at her like rocks crushing her abdomen, and she especially felt it when several more ribs cracked. Unfortunately, the blow was accompanied with electricity.

Instantly, her body was on fire.

Lily hadn't even realized she'd been flying over three hundred feet until her head collided with the grating metal, her limbs burning from the friction.

"AGAH!" White pulsed her vision as she threw her head back, her hands shakily kneading her aching temple. Suddenly, she found herself looking up at the sky with wind rolling through her hair. Gasping, she tried getting on her feet, ignoring the sharp pains stabbing her sides. "Fuck..." she gritted out when she realized the blow had completely left her writhing on the ground.

Lily barely managed to sit up, only to witness the VOCALOID charging towards her like a rocket, trailing electricity behind her. Pride and anger burned in her veins, prompting her to ripple her whip towards her at the last second, successfully latching onto her ankles and disrupting her flight pattern.

Quickly reeling in her catch, Lily then grabbed unsheathed a laser pistol and aimed. The click of the cartridge immediately reached the cyborg's ears, and she jerked to the side, making Lily accidentally shoot and miss, much to her frustration and mortification.

Lily screamed in mortification. The lash ended up striking an unstable signpost, its weight immediately crashing onto Rin with a heavy crash, sending her smashing right through the roof and creating a gaping hole.

At the last moment before falling, Rin immediately yanked down on the whip with both hands...

...pulling Lily along into her fall.

* * *

Len's ears burned from frostbite he'd recently obtained. Out in the cold and hanging onto the connector, he strapped the last of his tape around the hook. Looking back, he saw his friends firing rounds at swaggering robots. Their numbers were decreasing, and the windows they crawled through were nailed shut.

Empty shells hit the floor as Big Al reloaded another cartridge, eyes narrowing.

"Oi, ponyboy!" he shouted to Len, "You done yet?"

"Yeah!"

Tonio, rising from behind a chair, carefully approached Len with a small explosive.

"Be extremely careful." he told him, anxiously watching as one of his "babies" was taped to the connector. After properly stabilizing it, the teenager jumped back onto the platform.

"So you're a bomb expert?" Len asked as they took cover behind the chairs, bracing his ears against the gunfire.

Tonio tipped his hat slightly, "I was a demolitionist before working with Dell," Snapping open his suitcase, he took out an igniter and connected the trail of tape, smirking slightly. "You're pretty clever. Detonating the connector between the passenger carts and our position will safely put the civilians out of harm's way. We can properly evacuate without waiting on Dell."

Len nodded in reply before looking over his shoulder.

"Okay, guys! Take cover!"

On cue, the group dispersed and took cover just before Tonio launched ceramic explosives, destroying the robots. Len lit the fuse and almost immediately, a trail of sparks flew. Plugging their ears, a deafening boom shook the train, along with heavy clinking.

They witnessed the carts being left behind from the windows, tempted to wave goodbye. Almost immediately, the impact lurched everything forward into motion.

"Nice one, kiddo! Your idea went off without a hitch! You're smarter than you look." Al roared with laughter, practically slapping his back.

"GUNH!"

Of course, Len made a simple plan.

The trail of electric tape served as the fuse leading to the small explosive strapped onto the couple part. When igniting the fuse, an explosion strong enough to destroy the connector would divide the train. The passenger carts would be left ten miles from Tokyo so Teto, using her air fleet, could evacuate the passengers.

Of course, Len had yet to tell her of his plan because the line was cut off. Frowning slightly, the only problem remaining was how he'd contact her again. It would probably take several minutes before he could operate his phone again.

"I'm only surprised how most of the bombs were planted on the empty carts." Len coughed while rubbing back, glancing at the chart on Tonio's laptop, "It's almost convenient."

"It's a good thing your brunette friend informed me of their location." Tonio added, "Or we wouldn't have managed to deactivate the ones where the civilians are."

"You're amazing, Kagamine-kun!" Luka exclaimed with shining eyes, clasping her hands, "I can see why professor Kamui thinks so highly of you... both of you," she said, eyes flickering over to Miku. Pink spread across her cheeks as her smile broadened, "I'd love it if he admired me for those same aspects."

"Right. Dell should be evacuating them right now. It's a good thing he contacted you earlier, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to meet together." Tonio announced as he closed his pager, "All that's left is stranding this wreck and evacuating ourselves."

Miku opened her laptop and zoomed in her map, "There's a vacant lot seven miles ahead. It should only take several minutes to destroy the wheels and get out."

"But what about Teto? And Rin?" Luka asked, eyebrows furrowing. "I can't stand the thought of leaving them behind. What'll we do?"

A loud crash interrupted them, along with the grinding of metal screeching in their ears. Everyone hit the floor as the side of the cart completely fell open, splitting the floor and falling out of the tracks. Snow immediately caved in, and everyone screamed, clutching onto anything for support.

Robots fell from the corridor and landed on the track, making the ride even bumpier. Everyone nearly had heart attacks hearing maniacal laughing amplified by speakers, along with terrified screaming.

"OH MY GOD TETO WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOOUU?!"

"SLOW DOWN CALM DOWN-JWAAAAAAAJESUSJESUSJESUS!"

Heavy fire flashed around the area as a jet's silhouette crossed before their eyes. More robots fell by the second, crashing onto the soil.

**SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCKKKK! **

"YAHOOOOOOO! TAKE THAT, PHYSICS!"

Luka paled and clung to the chair even tighter, eyes bulging.

"T-... TETO?!"

As if hearing Luka's scream, a gust of wind enveloped the almost half-destroyed cart and a jet hovered before them. Inside, a grinning redhead saluted them. More surprising, Meiko and Kaito were clinging onto the jet's ladder like a lifeline, shaking and near tears.

"Hi, guys!" Teto cheerfully greeted, totally oblivious of their expressions, "Ah. Sorry. I didn't know you guys were in this cart, and I ended up missing... well, no worries, right?"

"Eh... so you did this?" Miku managed, gesturing at the damaged cart.

"YOU ALMOST KILLED US! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?" Len screamed, nearly chucking his shoe at her, startling everyone with the volume of his voice. No one was used to him raising his voice. Then again, considering the stress of the situation...

Teto frowned behind the glass, "But I was actually looking for you guys. It's not like we can land considering the robot infestation."

"So you considering tearing apart train carts your best option?" Tonio questioned dryly, looking at her as if she was the biggest idiot on the planet.

"Wouldn't you?" Was the unfazed reply.

Heavy sighs escaped, especially from Luka.

"Honestly, Teto..." she shook her head disapprovingly.

Teto blinked upon seeing her cousin before breaking into another grin, "AH! I knew I heard your voice, Luka-face! It's great to see you alive and safe~! Anyhow, don't I look cool? It's a good thing I played all those playstation war games, otherwise I wouldn't know how to control aircrafts, right?!" She burst into laughter before operating her headset. "Tokyo Bread Ted, track southwest. Requesting backup at given coordinates." she turned back to her friends, "Well, my rides are gonna get you out of this mess. I saw half of the train getting split apart with helicopters evacuating the passengers. That must've been your doing since you couldn't contact me, right?"

Len stared at her, "How did you know that?"

Teto shrugged, "Just a hunch."

Meiko groaned groggily, shaking her head doubtfully before exclaiming, "That makes total sense!"

"Remember that time when everything made sense?" Kaito suddenly asked. Everyone exchanged puzzled looks, shrugging and shaking their heads. No one directly answered his odd question. Their silence was rewarded with a tired laugh, "Yeah. Me neither."

Robots suddenly burst open through the door, invading and firing everywhere. All the girls screamed at the massive number, and the boys immediately started firing. Glass shattered, raining onto them as bullets frayed past them. Not even bothering to cover their heads, everyone kept shooting. Still, the huge outbreak was overwhelming.

Loud humming came from Teto's jets as she charged her shooters, its barrels glowing green.

"Everyone! I suggest you take cover... NOW!"

Bright lights blinded their eyes as a multiple beams engulfed the cart, disintegrating the robots. As the cart rumbled with excitement, everything was brought to a horrendous twist of events when the roof practically shattered open.

Two figures collapsed from above, followed with an excruciating scream. A lashing whip struck out above everyone's heads, tightly leashing from side to side like a tug-of-war.

Everyone's eyes widened.

"RIN!" Len screamed, clutching onto the pole with all his might. Seeing her current state made his blood boil. His eyes widened in horrified realization, "Oh no..."

On one side, a cyborg stood her ground despite being tightly bound by multiple coils. Her feet weren't moving as she grabbed the rope itself, eyes alit with green fire. On the other side was a fierce amazon, Takashi Lily, the owner of whip. Bruises and cuts marred the young woman, and blood flowed freely from her forehead. Using all her strength, she yanked the cyborg forward.

"Let... go..." Lily seethed, fists burning raw as she continued to reel her in, "Let go, you bitch...!" Pulling forward, she then swung her leg into a powerful kick. The cyborg angled herself, spinning rapidly as all the coils came tumbling loose. Lily's kick missed her head by a few feet, and she landed cleanly with an angry grunt. Untangled and mobile, Rin sent the whip flying into a state as it came in contact with Lily.

Bowing slightly, Rin tightly grasped both ends of the whip as she tightly bound her upper thigh, squeezing it. Lily screamed as the whip bit her flesh, her skin becoming deathly purple as she tried loosening its hold. The cyborg merely tilted her head and tightened her hold, and blood dripped from the wound. Gurgling, Lily hissed as her leg throbbed painfully before a numbing sensation overwhelmed her senses.

A ragged laugh escaped from Lily's lips as she grinned coldly at her sister.

"...Try harder, you filth. Someone like you isn't worthy to be of... my blood!"

Rin's eyes remained stoic. With a flick of both wrists, a horrifying scene unfolded.

A sickening squelching noise sounded along with Lily's excruciating scream, and everyone's eyes watched in horror and disbelief. Len nearly heaved, covering his mouth at the sight of Lily's dismembered leg lying in a pool of blood. A revolting stench filled the air, along with red spattering the chairs. None of the girls could find the will to scream, too stunned to even move.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHH! YOU BITCH I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU I'LL KILL YOOUUU!" Hatred and fury fueled Lily's eyes as she glared at Rin, not a trace of fear could be seen in her pale face. Bitter tears watered as she continued screaming empty threats, her voice breaking into painful sobs. Blood oozed from her open wounds, and she remained completely crippled.

"It hurts..." she sobbed pitifully, curling into a ball and clutching her wound. A pale Luka covered her mouth. "IT HURTS!"

Len's eyes slowly traveled from Lily's writhing figure to the cyborg, who simply gazed through Lily with a stoic face. No light shone in her eyes, and no emotion flitted across her face. She didn't even look happy; there was no emotion inside her.

She was completely devoid.

Behind a chair, Miku stared at the woman writhing in her own blood without a leg. Her eyes then fell on Rin, and a shiver ran up her spine. She ground her teeth painfully, and cold sweat immediately broke out on her forehead.

This... this was the transformation of the VOCALOID?

This thing... this VOCALOID...

Is this what nearly killed Uncle Kiyoteru?

"Unforgivable..." Miku whispered, clenching her fists. The gun in her hands trembled as she quietly stepped forward, making sure her footsteps were soft. Standing a few feet behind a rose of chairs, she still remained out of view. Staring at the back of Rin's head, her heart squeezed painfully. Retracting a hidden weapon from her thigh, she then silently went for Rin with charging taser.

Takashi Rin, the tragedy of Crypton Future Media. As her uncle explained, he had done research on the girl sent by Mikuo himself. For years she's been kept alive inside an incubator, only to break out and escape to Japan. That's how she met Len and the others. Still, Rin struggled over her amnesia and insecurities, leaving her vulnerable to the recent attempts of recapture.

It would be better to end things this way.

Even Rin would understand that.

Miku's footstep resonated, the pressure vibrated and rippled across the walls, immediately reaching Rin's ears. Twitching in response, the cyborg immediately turned face-to-face with Miku, whose taser poised to attack her neck. The agent gasped, her nerves going haywire when their eyes clashed.

Suddenly, she was trapped in those cold, hypnotizing eyes. That green gaze.

She... she couldn't move!

A sharp, stinging pain impacted her hand, slapping the taser out of her reach. The hit was so powerful, Miku nearly felt her entire arm snapping back. Her entire body went slack and tumbling to the floor.

This strength!

Paralyzed by the hit, Miku couldn't find the strength to summon her guns. The VOCALOID lassoed the whip in the air and sent it flying towards Miku's shocked face.

"NO! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Meiko shrieked, "MIIIKUUUU!"

Lights flashed before everyone's eyes, and searing blasts destroyed the walls. This threw the cyborg off-guard as she jumped from the area, avoiding narrow hits. Smoke parted to reveal a humming jet, along with a trembling Teto inside.

Meiko's teary eyes widened, "T-Teto..." She grasped onto the ladder even tighter, not even noticing the look Kaito was giving her. With a click of a button, plasma blasts came flying towards the cyborg once more. She immediately shot out of the cart, hovering a few feet above and watching the redhead.

Bolts thundered towards the jet, which flew out of the way.

Teto gritted her teeth and immediately turned her jet around, leaving Kaito and Meiko still swinging around for their lives. All at once, Len came running towards them with his hand extended.

"Kagamine-kun, no!" Luka shrieked, trembling to follow him but failing, instead landing on Tonio's lap.

Len grabbed onto the rungs right as Teto hightailed it out of there, bracing himself against the wind and his friends' terrified screams. The jet shot into the sky, and three teenagers clung desperately to the shaking ladder. Teto kept lurching the controls back and forth in effort to avoid the incinerating bolts. In the rearview mirror, she spotted something terrifying.

Teto began sputtering incoherently. Her jaw hit the floor as she tried to process the news. Instead, she became completely disoriented and fumbled for the controls, sweating like a pig, but when she caught sight of a fluttering bow accompanied with crackling electricity, she almost flew backwards in complete hysteria.

"OH MY WHAT-! GYARAAAAAAAAH!"

Everyone's screams rippled through the air, struck terrifed by the angry approaching cyborg. A screaming Len clung to Meiko's ankles, practically hugging the life out of her legs. Meiko, shrieking, wrenched onto Kaito's thighs like a lifeline.

"GO GO GO!" Kaito screamed, making desperate notions with his arm until the jet rocketed with a searing flash.

"Rinny-boo!" Teto called through the speakers, breaking into a nervous grin, "I-If you don't stop attacking me, I'll have no choice but to retaliate your love attacks!"

"DON'T DO THAT!" The three teenagers screamed in sync.

They cut through the clouds, and snow pounded against their bodies. It was like moving inside a cold mirage as everything soared past their vision. The jet jerked to the side as another bolt cut through the side, grazing the armor. Incredibly enough, Teto was able to anticipate her moves and wasted no time avoiding each hit. At the speed she was at, it was fairly possible to avoid all her hits at this range.

Still, Teto frowned worriedly as she glanced down at her friends' ill faces, how long was she gonna keep this up? If she didn't stop soon, her friends would surely...!

Below, Rin was on the train with watchful eyes. Confused, the redhead couldn't help wondering why she'd stop pursuing them until she realized what was in her hands. Teto gaped as she witnessed scraps of metal flying towards her at lightning-speed. Everyone shouted angrily and fearfully as Teto immediately jerked to the right, nearly shaking them off. At the insane speed, their feet slipped and left them dangling.

"TETO!" Meiko screamed at the top of her lungs, "I SWEAR IF YOU DO THAT AGAIN I'LL-!" Her panicking voice immediately broke when a coughing fit emerged, and she groaned painfully. Kaito screamed, covering his eyes with his torn scarf.

"Meiko! Hang in there!"

"No..." Teto whispered, realizing if she didn't act soon they'd all get horribly sick. More than anything, they needed to get to a hospital. Low humming noises filled the air as Rin levitated before her with scrap metal floating around them in a circle. Rin was manipulating the scraps using electricity. She cringed at its razor edges, knowing it could pierce through anything depending on the force.

Sweaty hands gripped the controls tightly. Teto's head fell forward as she broke into a sweat, gasping uncontrollably.

"Crap... I didn't even think this far ahead. All I wanted was to stop Rin from hurting Miku... is this what I get for being an idiot?" Now, Rin wanted to kill her. Teto knew she was more than capable of fighting her. After all, she had an entire air fleet! Still, she had a bad feeling if she pushed the battle even further, no one would get out alive, including herself. That, and she couldn't risk putting Meiko, Kaito, and Len in harm's way.

Also...

"I don't want to fight you, Rin." A whisper broke her wild thoughts, taming her into a calmer state. Breathing carefully, Teto refocused her gaze back on the glowering cyborg. "HOWEVER!" Cherry pupils glowed with earnest challenge, "I, Kasane Teto, will not allow you to freely destroy anything you want! I'll beat your pampered butt into submission, Rin! That way you'll never misbehave again!"

"Teto, you idiot!" Meiko shouted furiously, "Just wait a minute-!"

"CUT IT OUT!" Len yelled in terror, shaking his head. "NO! SHE WON'T ATTACK IF YOU JUST-!"

"Ain't nobody got time for that! The time for a revolution has come..." A dark undertone dripped from Teto's sweet, low voice as she broke into a ferocious grin, "BRING IT ON, RIN!"

Missiles shot out from her cartridges, shooting towards the cyborg.

Immediately, the VOCALOID lifted her arms and shot out the levitating scraps, cancelling out each rocket and triggering explosions. Teto zipped out of range as projectiles came blazing at light-speed.

Teto fired her guns, obliterating the scraps into smaller shards.

"Nice, Teto!" Kaito panted with a smile, wiping his matted forehead. "Just keep her busy until the right time!"

Teto grinned until she witnessed something strange. The shards weren't falling, instead they were vibrating intensely, and her eyes fell on Rin. She gasped in horror as the cyborg extended a single arm.

Razors singed the air and cut into Teto's turbine.

Smoke engulfed the motor in flames, sputtering and losing altitude. The entire jet tilted, and everyone started screaming. Teto looked down in horror as she watched her friends fall, eyes widening as she herself screamed, "N-NOOO! REBOOT! REBOOT!" Her fingers fell rapidly flew across the buttons, typing symbols into the computer before punching a fist into the emergency button. "EJECTION AND ADAPT!"

The damaged turbine immediately fell off, and the entire jet morphed. The other turbines disappeared, and another appeared at the back. The wings expanded and stretched, and Teto immediately dived for her friends.

This scenario was all too familiar.

Len thrust himself back against the wind, eyes widening to see Meiko and Kaito screaming as they looked at the ground in horror. Their faces reminded him of when he fell from the Ferris wheel, when he thought all hope was lost. Gritting his teeth, he shakily reached both hands out to them. Fire roared above them, engulfing them in a sudden heat as they were suddenly swept by something hard and cool.

The teens found themselves pillowed by a large net, supported by the NND. Big Al safely lifted them off, and they found themselves on a large airship accompanied with scientists. Glass enclosed them like a shelter, yet they could still see what was going on outside.

"Kaiko!?"

Len's eyes fell on a teary-eyed woman, who threw her arms Kaito's neck. She sobbed uncontrollably as he caught her. The clipboard in her hands suddenly fell aside as the two siblings embraced. Kaiko clutched her brother's hair, burying her head deep in his chest, crying like a baby.

Len felt something a sharp tug at the hem of his jacket and turned to witness a panting Meiko. They looked at each other before she immediately rested her head on his shoulder, trembling like crazy.

Suddenly, something roared above them, and everyone glanced up.

Rapid footsteps approached, revealing Luka in tears as she screamed towards the sky. Behind her was Gakupo, holding her back before she could do anything.

"TETOOO! TETOOOOO!"

There, the VOCALOID and Teto's jet were engaged in battle. Explosions rippled the air, and the entire airship retreated several hundred feet away. The tiny airship flitted through the clouds, narrowly avoiding the metal projectiles from the cyborg.

The jet made a sharp turn as bolts blasted the spot where it once was, making a sharp U-turn towards the cyborg. Suddenly, something ejected from the pilot's seat right before the explosion occurred.

Teto.

"Kasane!?" Kaito uttered before gasping, "W-Wait, she's falling! Even though she has a parachute, Rin might-!" Kaiko laughed through her tears, slowly retracting from his embrace.

"Of course, things will be fine." Dell's cool voice cut in, and there he was: striding towards them in a lab coat. Behind him were other scientists writing things down on clipboards. He calmly regarded their disbelieving stares as he gave a deep sigh as he looked up, "Your nosy friend of yours seems more than willing to take care of that." He gestured towards the open balcony.

Without any second thoughts, the teenagers flung themselves over the railing and stared at the sight below.

Miku was on top of the remainder of the moving train, firing at the VOCALOID with double pistols. By the looks of it, she seemed intent on bringing her down. Rin miraculously evaded each shot. Everyone wordlessly exchanged shocked glances. Len's hands tightly gripped the railing as he stared down at the sight.

Why?

What was that look in her eyes? She looked like she wanted Rin to die, but...

"Miku's not really like this." he muttered, mostly to himself. His friends glanced over at him with troubled expressions.

"OOOMFFFF!" A high-pitched cry, followed along with angry blubbering made everyone's heads turn again. They were greeted with the sight of a sobbing Luka clinging to Teto, who was shooing the paramedic while dizzily trotting towards them. "Hey, my head's throbbing- WHO THE FISH?!" She screeched when she saw Miku before throwing herself over the railing, "HEY! WHADDAYA THINK YOU'RE DOING SHOOTING AT MY CYBORG CUTIE? STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!" She howled, forcing Kaito and the other scientists to pull her back. Luka yanked her forward by the straps before slapping her across the face.

Len, Kaito, and Meiko gawked.

Never... never had they thought Luka would strike anyone. Let alone Teto. As for the redhead, she was left speechless. Staring at Luka, she touched her apple-red cheek.

Angry tears coursed down Luka's face as she glared, shoulders racking and hands closed into trembling fists. Her pink hair looked like a rat's nest, and dirt smeared her face.

"GROW UP YOU IMPULSIVE MORON!" Luka screamed in her face, causing the others to jump, "Acting like a three year old and pulling such a stunt that not only put our friends' lives in danger, but yours as well! I swear you're the stupidest person I've ever met, you stupid, stupid girl!" With an angry scream, she shook Teto's shoulders back and forth, "You won't live for much longer, you stupid fool! If you're going to die, then do it alone! I deserve a better end than worrying to death!" With another frustrated groan, she practically pushed her away and covered her face with both hands, trembling wildly. Gakupo came from behind her and wrapped her in a tight hug, closing his eyes and ignoring his students' stares.

Teto stood there, now staring at the ground. She hung her head and remained silent.

Len politely looked away, paying no mind to Luka's outburst. Guilt filled him as he recalled all the pressure she was under today. Given the situation, he couldn't blame her for losing her composure. Even tolerant, mature Luka had her limits; she was just an ordinary student after all.

Len, too. Up until lately, he'd been no more than just an ordinary kid.

"Oh my god, Rin's chasing Miku!" Meiko pointed a finger towards the two figures, panicking again. She turned to Dell, "W-What'll we do? What'll we do?!"

Meanwhile, Miku's boots thundered across the roof with Rin flying above her in mad pursuit. Rin's lightning bolts disintegrated her footsteps, leaving ashes behind. A gasping Miku fled from the approaching shadow hovering meters above, and she quickened her pace.

Rin's palms charged with electricity as she targeted with careful precision. She rained punishment on teal girl, sending sparks blazing in a fray.

With a scream, Miku felt millions of volts electrifying her into a halt. The power wasn't enough to destroy her, but the cyborg wasn't aiming for her death.

Why? Why hadn't she killed her?

Miku wondered as she fumbled before a crackle of lightning brought up the metal roof like a wall, preventing escape. She collapsed to her knees and shuddered violently. She reluctantly raised her head to witness the cyborg hovering inches near her face, and fear paralyzed her entire body.

The VOCALOID tilted her head at a freaky angle, frightening Miku even more as glowing green eyes bore into hers. The spy agent barely whimpered, sweat dripping down her neck. She shook like a leaf, breathing erratically when shiny fingers started towards her neck.

Those fingers... had the power to crush her throat.

That look in her eyes wasn't even human. She didn't even care what she was about to do, much less dwell on it. Her face was completely devoid, metallic, and stoic. Even her eyes appeared dead.

A crackle erupted from Rin's fingers, instantly causing Miku to freeze up. Just as Rin was about to jam her fingers into her throat, a sudden noise caught her ear, and she immediately snapped upright. Miku gasped shakily, sweating profusely as she wondered what Rin was doing. Immediately, the VOCALOID flew to her feet and faced off against the women behind her.

Miku's eyes widened.

The teleporting girl she fought earlier was standing behind a woman, presumably older than her. She glared past Rin with a hostile hiss. The older woman carried a bleeding Lily in her arms, surprisingly strong enough to balance their weights on the wrecked train.

"So you've finally appeared, VOCALOID." The older woman drawled, smiling as she fingered the rose in Lily's hair. "What a mess you've made. Fifteen people are dead today because of your carelessness..."

"Of course, that's nothing compared to her actual record..." Defoko murmured apathetically.

Namine's eyes glowed, "I have to say, Rin. You're a lot prettier up close. Witnessing how you've ended lives makes you even more attractive. Such power... how I admire you."

The VOCALOID remained silent.

"What's wrong, your highness? Don't you remember us?" The woman laughed as she practically cast Lily's body to Defoko, who barely caught her. "I'm Ritsu Namine, and this is Defoko. We're like you, successful products; we're part of the Crypton family. Leon is our daddy, and you're the oldest because you were created first. That makes you our big sister."

"Namine... Lily's breathing sounds strange." Defoko, the teleporter, spoke softly.

Namine whipped a glowing green rose from her chest, its color murky and distorted. Somehow, looking at it made Miku's eyes water, and she had to look away. The VOCALOID reared back, shrieking and palms charging with electricity. Namine smirked as she witnessed Rin's abrupt reaction.

"What's wrong, VOCALOID? I thought you loved flowers... especially if they're from your mother!" She laughed maliciously, thrusting it forward to intimidate the VOCALOID. Miku watched in horror as the cyborg shrieked at a impossibly high-pitched level, floating farther from the rose. Groaning, she immediately covered her ears as the shrieks grew in pitch.

Namine and Defoko appeared unaffected by their 'sister's' thunderous screams, even as the force violently impacted their surroundings.

"We're not like weak humans, Project Rin! We're top products for a reason; therefore, your wailing isn't going to do anything!" Namine shouted gleefully over the destructive noise, her eyes shrinking with mirth as she grinned, "You're selfish and cruel. The fact you kill innocents and criminals alike for your own survival doesn't even faze you when you're in VOCALOID mode. Why pretend you care about these silly humans? Why do you insist you're one of them? What can you possibly gain from this confusion when survival is the only thing that matters in the end?"

The VOCALOID kept voicing her wrath, sending bolts of energy blasting towards them.

Namine laughed gleefully, appearing like a child as she and Defoko practically danced to avoid the ensuing blast. They twirled before landing in their previous spots, only with gaping holes and burnt crisps. The rose Namine was holding remained unharmed, and glowing even brighter than before. The VOCALOID groaned mechanically, grabbing her hair and electrocuted herself.

"You should know... we're the only ones who like you. The rest of the products really hate your guts, and they're waiting for the right moment when Leon sends them after you. It's too bad he doesn't know they want to kill you for being at the top." Namine sighed, twirling a lock around her finger before grinning sardonically, "What misfortune. The fact you make enemies without even doing anything to them or even catching a glimpse of you... it must be annoying." She sneered at the quivering Lily, "Even this hard-nosed fool wants you dead. She hasn't even realized her sister is already dead. Right, Defoko?"

Defoko silently averted Namine's gaze before nodding.

"Ha! You see? If you're anyone's sister, you're ours."

The VOCALOID quaked violently, her wrenching hands tensing as she unwillingly reached out for the rose.

_"Ma...ma."_

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGH!" With a thunderous yell, the cyborg curled into a ball. Hair flying around and muscles tensing, her rigid form summoned spiraling bolts of energy. A mysterious sight enfolded. The bolts flared across the railroad, lighting everything up. Heavy creaking and groaning echoed as the rails suddenly came unattached and swirled behind Rin as if being controlled. "Unh... UGH!" For a moment, her eyes were stark blue before another tormented wail ripped from her throat. "GRAYAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

Above, everyone watched Rin in complete silence. Horror crossed their pale faces as they watched from the balcony.

"Her voice..." Meiko managed, tears running down her face, "It sounds so painful."

Len stared, his pupils never leaving her, "This... pain... Is this what she's been holding back this entire time?"

Many rails went flying at the products. All at once, Defoko grabbed onto Namine, and they seemingly transported right behind Rin. The sharp rails dug into the train, impaling the roofs. Their soft movements and breathing reached Rin's ears, and she instinctively threw a voracious jab in their direction. Once again, they disappeared briefly before materializing in the same place they once stood.

Namine smirked at the cybrog's actions, chuckling, "There's no need to get upset. On behalf of Crypton, I apologize for the trouble Lily's caused. It wasn't our plans to confront you like this today; preparations for the Reactor are still in progress, and the board administrators need you alive until then." She drawled lazily, throwing her hair back, "If anything were to happen to you, Leon would surely take action."

"Little brother, we need to go. Lily's injuries..." Defoko spoke up again, sounding urgent. Namine whipped his head back to the shorter girl, sighing in annoyance, "If we go now, will you shut up for the rest of the day? Fine, fine." With a huge sigh, he snapped his fingers. Immediately, a Crypton jet came soaring before hovering right before them. Defoko immediately helped Lily through the sliding doors. A herd of robots emerged from the top, growling mechanically.

Miku was yanked forward by the scruff of her jumpsuit, surprised to find herself dangling at the mercy of Namine, who cast her a terrible grin.

"I'm not one to disrespect my elders, miss lady. But Mikuo is the only reason why we haven't killed you. You've probably heard this time and time again from him, but I'll say this myself: this is your last warning. You and your government better veer clear of Crypton plans. We have nothing to do with this country, and we'd prefer to keep it that way..." he then chuckled darkly, "Personally, I don't care what you'll do, but, it'd be a shame to find your handicapped mother... harmed... if you keep getting involved in our business, hm?" He snickered, "Mikuo can't protect you forever." He basked in Miku's blanch expression before throwing her to the side, watching her scream and flail before the Internet Co., Ltd airship rescued her.

Namine then turned to the VOCALOID, who hadn't dared approach him this entire time. He mentally frowned to himself, sulking over the fact Leon had strictly ordered him not to "play" with her. His creator had been right to say that Namine wouldn't get hurt if he held onto the rose he carried. He sniffed in disgust while eying the plant in his hand.

This rose... reeked of chemicals and corpses. He hated carrying it, but he couldn't disobey Leon. Its petals bubbled with a strange substance, its acidic odor growing stronger. Still, the worst part is what it contained. The substance grew darker until the rose became a stark white. As a result, Namine glanced up at the VOCALOID adoringly.

"Two months, VOCALOID. I'll hold onto my heart until then!" He announced, his hair whipping against the snowy wind before winking flirtatiously, "I'll wear my prettiest dress just for you. Until then... take this as a parting gift!" He shouted before tossing the blinding rose towards her, and a blinding light ensued the area before an explosion triggered in waves, completely obliterating the elevated tracks and destroying the train cart.

Large metals surrounded the falling cyborg, hurling towards a vacant warehouse below. Her eyes remained frozen as she witnessed everything falling around her. A child's pink slipper slipped from a broken window, burnt to a crisp. Fire and terrified screaming consumed her as multiple flashbacks appeared before her eyes. In a certain hallucination, she remembered breaking out of her reactor for the first time, killing scientists with her bare hands and staining the conference room with blood.

Behind the glass wall, her parents stood. Her father proudly watched while her mother's face went white, unshed tears shimmering in her dead eyes. The way her mouth formed a trembling line mesmerized Rin through the agonizing screams and blood. Despite the fact she was inside a soundproof room, Rin could still make out her painful whisper.

_"How could you?"_

Then her dead body appeared.

Frozen with terror and trauma, the cyborg fell through the warehouse with a violent crash, unaware to the familiar voice screaming her name.

"RIIIINN!"

* * *

Meanwhile, above the clouds...

Len looked furious as he gazed at the gaping hole in the warehouse. Hands clenching over the railing, he hung his head in defeat and helplessness. His voice was hoarse after screaming so much.

"Dammit. Why?! Why can't I do anything?!" he murmured angrily to himself, shoulders tensing. A hand gripped his left shoulder firmly.

"If they wanted her to truly fall then they should've built the entire railroad out of non-metal..." Dell then directed his gaze, "Look."

Most of the train tracks were completely shredded, and a huge gaping spot disconnected the tracks. Rin nearly fell four stories into the nearby building, and lights sparked where she fell through. Suddenly, a huge bolt of lightning shot out from the hole.

Len stared at the sight, disturbed and relieved at the same time.

"So... she's not hurt... at least I know that now." He then turned to find a stumbling Miku being supported by Meiko and another paramedic. He suddenly approached them, his eyes never leaving Miku.

Miku winced as the paramedic rubbed alcohol over her cuts. She suddenly felt a prescence behind her and turned around.

"Len-kun?"

"Miku," Len exhaled before frowning at her, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to kill Rin. But you have an explanation, don't you?" Miku's fists clenched at her sides as she lowered her head in shame.

"...I'm sorry."

Len and Meiko stared at Miku in shock.

"Hey-" Meiko heatedly began until a loud shout interrupted them, instintively distracting them into looking the other way.

Gakupo gawked at Teto.

"Pray tell! How on earth did you learn to hack into the company's hardest computer systems? Much less reprogram the settings?"

"Math is the universal language." Teto proclaimed, stroking her fake mustache with a grin, "Numbers are keys to using forumlas and integers. There's too many exceptions in a worded language." she said, "A wise man once said, 'in order to survive the world, you need to know at least two languages'. I know math and Japanese, so I'm good to go..." she then slumped forward, eyebrows pinched in annoyance, "I could definitely live without English." She then grumbled something about miss Ann.

Len and the others blinked, rendered speechless. Teto grinned as she passed them, waving her hand as if dismissing her talents. A sputtering Gakupo trotted after her with a large notebook, along with a sighing Kaito and silent Luka.

"I'd rather stick to English; calculus is too much work." Kaito mumbled, scowling as Kaiko tightened the bandages around his head. "Ow! Quit it!"

"More importantly..., why was Rin screaming her head off?" Teto seriously asked while crossing her arms, "Now that I recall, her screams somehow messed up my flight pattern whenever we were close."

"That's the VOCALOID'S main ability," Professor hastily explained, flipping through formulas. Sweat shone on his forehead, and he quickly wiped it. "Adapting to a violent, life-threatening situation requires her aggressive response. She can bend and manipulate soundwaves, amplifying this power with her specialized headset, and she can cause substantial damage to her foes simply by adjusting frequency and wavelengths."

Len's brain couldn't keep up with his words. Suddenly curious, he raced after them and held up his hands in effort to stop the professor from prattling.

"S-Slow down, professor."

"Oh, sorry." The professor took a deep breath. Kaito, Meiko, and Luka shared looks of relief. Teto, however, appeared to follow and kept nodding. Professor's expression was not a happy one. He talked slowly, "Well, you understand, right? The VOCALOID uses sound as a main advantage." He said, drumming his fingers against his katana sheath, "Using her headset, she uses amplified wails as her weapon. High-pitched screams can reach .00000000000000005 hertz; they travel over a circumference of 7.4 miles and immobilize anyone who has ears." Len briefly remembered what happened earlier, shuddering as he recalled the loud, painful ringing in his ears.

Dell also cleared his throat, "And when voicing deep octaves, the sound waves become more tangible and forceful; those sound waves can violently thrust back her opponents."

"Okay. How did she sense me?" Miku demanded, up on her feet and crossing her arms, "When I snuck up on her, I made no sound. For years I've trained not to be undetectable."

Gakupo frowned, "Despite how quiet you are, footsteps will always create a sound; sound is a pressure wave, and as I said before, sound is Rin's profession," he briskly explained, "Her hearing is far more sensitive than ours. The sound's pressure from your footsteps will indefinitely reach her eardrums, and she will know someone is there."

Meiko snorted in adding, "In the first place, she's a cyborg."

Miku reddened before hastily looking away.

Teto appeared, asking, "What about her gauntlets? Are there weapons in there?"

"Just a wrist laser and missiles. My idea, of course." Gakupo casually answered, beaming. Meters away, Dell looked up from the main control system and rolled his eyes at Gakupo while sipping his coffee.

"Just a wrist laser and missiles', he says..." Kaito mimicked, rolling his eyes. Despite his sarcasm, Len noticed he looked somewhat envious.

"Due to Rin's metallic skeletal system, she has access to bioelectricity. Her maximum output is 3 billion volts." Gakupo cleared his throat before continuing, "By calculating Flem's formula of kinetic energy combined with E=mc2, The VOCALOID applies the force needed to clear heavy obstacles. Like earlier: using Lorentz' force, she'll create a magnetic field and manipulate heavy metals. She'll then create parallel currents on either sides of her arms using electricity. To imitate this rail gun technique, according to Newton's first law of motion, the force impacted on the target will definitely inflect heavy damage-"

Len's brain couldn't keep up with his words. He held up his hands, shaking his head.

"Wait, wait wait," he interrupted, eyes widening. Everything clicked. "So what you're saying is she's practically a railgun by using what's left of the train!" Professor paused, opening his mouth to reply, then hesitated again. After thinking for a moment, he nodded in affirmation.

"Precisely."

"By acting like a weapon..." Miku said slowly, tapping her chin before gasping in realization, "she'll only retaliate during self-defense! Her only function is survival."

Professor practically beamed, raking a hand through his hair. "Indeed. I'm happy to know my star students are still at the top of their game." Miku and Len refused to even glance at each other. Teto grinned a little. "But in any case," the professor sounded serious again, "Using available resources, formulas, and calculations, Rin-chan can obliterate anything in her path when electricity is at her advantage."

"Wow..." Everyone appeared moved by the VOCALOID description, absorbing this information. It was a little overwhelming.

"Pardon me for interrupting." Dell sighed as he approached, eyes narrowing as he removed the stethoscope from his ears. He looked at Len, "The passengers have been transported to the nearest hospital. The media is out of control, and frankly, the government is trying to contain the situation without our help." He glanced at the kids, "I'm sorry to have involved you in all of this. None of this was supposed to've happened, and I understand how worried your parents might be." He made a point to look at all the girls. His eyes dropped on Miku, narrowing considerably, "Respectively, your mother. Hatsune-chan."

Miku cringed, refusing to acknowledge Dell's gaze. "...I'll be sure to call her."

Dell dismissed her comment with a shake of his head, "I've been ordered to do something about Rin. If she's not contained within the next hour, then the 'special authorities' will step in." He looked at an unease as he glared at his binder, "Gakupo, Kaiko. We must act quickly."

"Wait, Dell!" The former CEO stopped in his tracks when Len pulled him by the hem of his coat, "Is... is my mom...?"

A wry smile cracked Dell's lips as he nodded, "She'll be fine; she's unconscious due to shock, but she's been transported to the main base just in case. She'll be home for dinner." With that, he and the scientists walked away. Len and the others were about to follow them until Kaiko stopped them when she turned her heel.

"No way. Uh-uh. No. Don't even think about it." Kaiko reprimanded them with a stern hiss. She ignored their expressions and continued, "That goes for all of you, especially you, Len. We'll handle Rin in a jiffy, but once we land, all of you are heading home."

Kaito pouted, "But, sis..." He started, only to get his butt spanked. "OW!" Seriousness flared in Kaiko's firm eyes. Despite her nurturing disposition, the look on her face told them she wasn't going to relent.

"Behave, I said. We have enough trouble on our hands without having to monitor six teenagers, understand?" she exclaimed to her flinching brothers, "Wanna know who's gonna be blamed for all this? Us! Me, Daddy, and our entire family! The government is sticking a pole up Daddy's ass for the financial damage Rin's caused! And they're stressing him about the media finding out about Rin! I know you're worried about her, but if you keep getting yourselves into trouble like this, I swear we're going to-!" Her tone and voice level practically shattered their own eardrums before she stopped with a frustrated groan. Taking a deep breath, she rubbed her temples, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to shout. It's just," she exhaled, "A lot's been going on."

Kaito fiddled with his fingers as he frowned at his sister. Seeing her so stressed and tired reminded him of when she was in college, except this was a lot worse.

"Kaiko..."

Kaiko took a deep breath, "Please, please, _please_. Just please. Do me a favor and quietly go home. Okay?" She tried to smile, "Trust me. You don't want to see Rin right now." With another deep sigh, she turned on her high heels and walked towards the main computers where her father was, leaving the teenagers in a heavy bout of confusion, guilt, and conflict.

A heavy silence ensued the group as they headed towards the lobby, quietly seating themselves. Thirty minutes later, the airship landed about two miles from the warehouse. Bulky men quietly escorted the kids from the runway and headed towards Dell's vans. Iroha and the NND awaited with grim expressions.

Everything was frozen stiff. Miku stayed close to Teto and Luka. The pink-haired girl sneezed and silently cuddled up to her cousin, closing her eyes with a stressed sigh. Kaito and Meiko were far apart from each other, and Len was at the end of the line. The snow covered their heads as they walked, and the soft crunching of footsteps was the only noise.

Except Rin's distant screams.

The mutts started howling along with Rin, on their rears and voicing to the moon. Another wail thundered across the area, causing Len to stop in his tracks and turn towards the warehouse. The escort, noticing his hesitation, grunted roughly.

"Kid, keep moving."

Len's face held a distant gaze as he stared at the warehouse.

Thinking the boy didn't hear him, the escort cleared his throat, "C'mon, kid. We gotta get you home." Len was suddenly aware of his friends' stares. As if snapping out of a dream, he stiffly apologized and continued walking. He shoved his hands into his pockets and kept his head down, a million thoughts racing across his mind. Before he knew it, he kept replaying today's events in his head.

Everyone almost dying... the vicious fight between Lily and Rin... those Crypton products...

Rin's tearful smile flashed before his eyes.

Again, Len stopped in his tracks and turned around. Annoyed, the escort sighed and rubbed his temples. He was about to reprimand him until he heard loud stomping, along with alarmed cries.

"H-HEY LEN?!"

"K-KAGAMINE-KUN!"

The teenagers raced off after the blond boy, who was already thirty meters ahead of them. Kaito, Meiko, Teto, Luka, and Miku shouted after Len while ignoring the dumbfounded looks on the two escorts. They didn't bother asking where Len was going. They weren't even fazed from the disbelieving looks Kaiko and the scientists gave them while climbing over the wired fence.

* * *

The hangar was dark and musky when they climbed through the fire exit. The air smelled like burnt circuits and glass. The entire place was abandoned, and welders were scattered everywhere. The ceiling fans hung loose from the ceiling, giving the appearance that they would soon fall off. Pipes surrounded the place like a maze, shadowing everything around them.

Panting, their eyes fell on the lone figure, sitting with her back facing them, on top of a gigantic stockpile resembling a mountain.

Project Rin.

Volts crackled at the base of her head as she trembled, curling into a tight ball. Shaky puffs emitted from the girl as she trembled, rocking herself back and forth.

Meiko's eyes widened, "Rin..." Just as she took a step forward, Rin immediately gasped.

"UNGRGH...!" A crackling ball of energy engulfed Rin as she jerked forward, electricity zapping around her in large numbers. A gurgling noise rippled from the back of her throat as she twitched. Her fists violently closed around her scalp, and she looked like she was trying to yank her hair out.

_**BA-THUMP...**_

_**BA-THUMP...**_

"N...!"

"RIN-SAAAN!" Luka screamed, bracing herself against the lightning.

"Rin!" Len shouted, immediately attracting her attention. Seeing everyone below, blue eyes widened in terror. She let out a high-pitched, grating screech.

"Argh!" Miku cried out, instantly covering her ears.

Shockwaves flashed around the hangar. A excruciating scream ripped from the back of Rin's throat. She let out a inhumane, low-pitched roar, one that resounded throughout the area. Soundwaves vibrated throughout the room, thickening the pressure and heavily impacting everything else. Everyone screamed. Windows shattered and the metal pillars started to groan and distort their shapes. Glass bits rained onto the teenagers,

Rin's eyes flashed blue, and a resounding howl ripped from her lungs. "STOOOP!" she howled like a wolf, yanking her hair. "NO! I WON'T...!" she roared; her trembling body racked with heavy, desperate breaths. Her face was mixed with pain and pain as she jerked relentlessly, muscles jerking spastically. Electricity zapped the metal poles as she sobbed. Crying for control and oxygen, her back roughly collided against the smashed doors. Her eyes flashed green. Blue. Green. Blue. Green... blue. "I won't be controlled like this..." she hissed before biting down her lip, squeezing her eyes shut, "YOU'LL NEVER HAVE ME!" her fists sparked with energy, "THIS BODY IS MINE!"

Meiko whimpered and quivered, sweat dripping down her neck, "Too... too much!" She squeezed her eyes shut. A metal stake ripped from the ceiling and came tumbling towards them. Kaito immediately shoved the girls forward, jumping out of the way. Len managed to roll on the other side just in time.

Everyone ran for cover, narrowly avoiding the sharp shards cutting through the air and crashing down where they once stood. They frantically climbed down the stairwells, screaming as metal stakes came flying at them and puncturing the walls. Len cried out once his injured shoulder hit the wall. Hissing, he found the VOCALOID edging just meters away, drifting above the scrapyard.

**"GET OUUUUUT!"** The cyborg roared, sending chunks of metal flying, accompanied with bright, cyclonic bolts. Meiko jumped just as a bolt hit the rubble she once leaped across.

"She's gone insane!" Miku shrieked, sprinting even further than Meiko as they dodged incinerating bolts. The lights started to flicker again and again, causing Luka to stumble. Teto screamed as her foot caught on a sharp object, and she went falling forward.

Kaito caught her in an instant, grunting as he lifted her up bridal-style and limping across the area. The advanced medicine Dell gave him was already working its magic. His broken ankle was wrapped in a tight cast, but the bone was already growing back. Still, he couldn't risk losing his footing. Teto kicked her legs up and flung her arms around his neck with a frightened shriek. They all ran across a narrow bridge right before Rin destroyed it.

"LEN!" Meiko shouted across the giant gap separating everyone from Rin and Len. "RIN!"

**WHOOOSH!**

**BOOM!**

**CRASSHA!**

Len ran and climbed. He sprinted across the elevated platform as file cabinets, dressers, and machines flew at uncontrollable range. He gasped, leaping over the banister right before a generator could crush him against the pillar. Time seemed to slow down all around him as he leaped in mid-air, wrenches whizzing past his neck by several inches and witnessing the 30' free fall.

Turning his head, he caught sight of the enraged cyborg charging an electric beam and-

**KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!**

The lights flashed in his eyes as he threw his neck back, too frightened to even scream.

Then he landed on his feet.

A tendon snapped up his right leg. Pain shot up his ankles as he attempted to breath. Len's face twisted into pure pain as he hoarsely gasped, taking the pain full-throttle.

"Urgh...!" He bit back a scream, clenching his teeth and gripping his ankle tightly. Tears welled up in his eyes as he attempted to stand, only to sink on a knee. Lights flashed around him, nearly blinding, and broken metal pieces surrounded him. Crackling roars deafened the room, and he gazed up to look at the source of chaos, trembling in the midst of a man-made thunderstorm.

His eyes widened, "R..."

**"Is this why she hated me...?!" **The cyborg covered her face with her hands, drifting high near the roof and shaking violently. **"I understand why. I understand why****..."** Her hands clenched into fists,** "But!"**

* * *

_Tiny hands parted the bubbles, meeting with cold glass. Her vision revealed a woman standing in a darkly lit lab. Flat tables consisted of stacked notes and beakers bubbling with colorful liquids. Though she was there, standing quietly, it was undeniable she came to watch._

_The blonde woman sighed tiredly and wrote on her clipboard, occasionally looking up. The__ hands pounded against the glass, followed by a muffled cry. The woman glanced up._

_Trembling fingers reached towards her. Muffled cries echoed. A shadow cast over the woman as she hastily turned away. _

* * *

**"You're my mama too..."**

* * *

_Tiny hands clenched into fists. _

* * *

**"I loved you the moment my eyes opened..." **The cyborg emerged with fury, glaring down at Len. Hair flew around her contorted face. Her eyes were jade slits, streaming with sparks. **"But... but..." **Her fists shook. **"YOU WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT ME!"**

Her cry of rage amplified into ear-shattering sound waves, thrusting out like hands. Len was thrown back the wall, his head reeling. Electricity crackled, zapping the metal surroundings. Even through his earplugs, loneliness in her voice rang clear in his eardrums.

"**Why...? Why? _WHY_?! WHY DIDN'T YOU LOOK AT ME**?" Fists wrenched the air, shaking,** "DID YOU HATE ME THAT MUCH?!" **The cyborg threw her head back. Arms thrust out as if yearning for a long-awaited embrace, **"DID LOOKING AT ME CAUSE YOU TOO MUCH PAIN? THE FACT YOU CREATED ME? THE FACT I TERRIFIED YOU?"**

A white-blue flash zapped the poles above, tearing through and leaving gaping voids. Burnt metal and ashes lingered in the air. Len fell to his knees, hands latching over his ears tightly.

**"MAMA! MAAAMAAAAAA!"** The piercing shriek echoed, **"I LOVED YOU! I WANTED YOUR WARMTH TOO! YOUR EMBRACE AND THAT GENTLE LOOK-! I WANTED THAT TOO!"**

_"Sweetie... Rin."_

**"I would've give you everything..." **Rin's conscience whispered, curling into a ball,** "IF ONLY YOU HADN'T ABANDONED ME!" **The cyborg let out a deafening roar, shattering the windows. The entire room trembled, and tremors shook the splitting ground. Cracks appeared on the groaning stairs, distorting their shapes. Outside, the entire building slowly crumbled to its knees. Len's pain heightened, and he squeezed his eyes shut. His hands dug into his hair, blocking out the noise even further. He hardly noticed the bruise forming on his arm from where Rin had grabbed him.

Her screams then pitched reversibly, from deep, low octaves to impossibly high octaves, making his ears scream as well. The frequency vibrated at a frenzied, mad pace, causing everyone to drop on the floor and writhe in pain. Rin's screams drowned their own.

_**"WHY?"**_ Rin's conscience raged, "**_WHY DIDN'T YOU LOVE ME?!" _**An unstoppable storm, the cyborg thrust her fists into the air, calling raging sparks, before blasting the lights and destroying the whirring machines, including the power generator. Bits of scrap and wires rained down. Len, eyes widening, throwing himself onto the floor to avoid the crashing weight of half of a machine. **"IF YOU COULDN'T STAND TO STAND NEAR ME HOW, I WONDER, COULD YOU STAND TO CREATE ME?!"**

"Rin...!" Len snapped his gaze overhead, "RIN!"

**"TELL ME, MOTHER!"** Rin pressed, increasing the voltage, making the room appear like a web of electric currents. Light flashed in front of Len's eyes, blinding him. "**WHAT IS MY PURPOSE FOR LIVING THEN?"** The VOCALOID swayed, her arms and feet dangling. For a moment, Len thought he saw sadness reflecting her face. When he blinked, she became expressionless again. **"Was I created to destroy everything around me? Things I love? Everything?_"_** Green eyes flashed blue. Len's mouth slowly gaped open, and he started towards her, entering the magnetic field.

Then, a ghastly white woman appeared behind Len. Elusive as water, she appeared to be drifting behind him while staring up at Rin with those haunting green eyes. Pupils enlarging, the cyborg shuddered violently and twitched. She began hyperventilating at the sight of the woman, trembling like a leaf with her mind toppling over the edge. The thing inside her began to take over.

The VOCALOID immediately stiffened, her fists zapping with electricity as she let out a inhuman, bloodcurdling scream, emitting thick soundwaves that shook the area, making his entire body vibrate and tense in discomfort. Her entire body flared as she pounded her fists against the stone, shattering it to dust.

**_"RAGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HH!"_**

Shards of glass flew past Len, cutting his body open like an apple. He gasped out as blood gushed from his face, arms and legs. His hands were stained red. A chair flew into his leg, making him bend forward and scream in agony. Bones cracked, and his eyes widened. He strained to keep his pain under control. It was like suppressing an excruciating itch to fall forward and give up.

"LEN!" Miku screamed from behind the bars, grieving tears freely flowing down her face.

Len looked up, resolve and fiery determination in his teary eyes.

Clenching his teeth, he limped forward without stopping. Because of his bad leg, he had to hop on a foot. He bitterly swallowed his pain. No matter what, he had to reach her. He was going to her whether she liked it or not. His sides throbbed, and his breathing quickened. His heart beat like a drum, awakening his senses. A table split, coming at him. He moved, the legs flying right past his head. His vision blurred as he stared up at the tortured cyborg.

This... pain...

It was nothing compared to hers.

"**Paralyzed, realized, I'm so cowardly****..."** A whisper passed like wind, and the cyborg's lips tightened. "**I still wanted more. Those other children hated me too, didn't they? Yet even so, behind their cages, they hated me... just like you. But I only ****wanted to be loved..." **Len staggered forward, panting. His head ducked as he continued trudging past the winding bolts, impeding soundwaves, and flying objects.

**"But everything I've done...!" **Images of blood, twisted corpses of Crypton products and scientists on the floor, and terrified faces flashed before her eyes, **"All I've suffered for...!"** she whispered, remembering the chemical vaccines, stone-faced scientists forcing her into crammed reactors, the convulsing agony birthing inside her, and Daddy's malicious temper. She visualized light beyond a closing door, along with a shaking, bandaged hand reaching towards it. **"IT WAS ALL FOR YOU!"** Rin threw her head back, clutching her head and screaming**.**

At this point, the thermostats broke. Smoke flooded the room, along with the water sprinklers setting off. Water pounded below, immediately drenching the teenagers' clothes.

Coughing, Len sputtered and threw down his jacket.

The heavy sound of metal grinding and groaning impeded as everything was thrust back, its shapes distorted. Machines slammed against the walls, crashed out of the broken windows, and piled like junk. All the lights shattered with glass raining down in sheets. The nightly moon poured in, its white light highlighting the depth of Rin's cold angst.

"Stop that, Rin." Meiko gasped, tears spilling down her face in torrents, turning away and unable to witness this scene, "Stop it...!" Kaito lowered his eyes, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Luka and Teto began crying as well, quivering quietly in the rain.

Miku fell to her knees, unable to look up and devestating her own helplessness.

There was nothing she could do.

Electricity broke out, rounding and electrocuting the entire field, including Len. sparks alit all copper assembly lines, igniting a ring of fire. Len screamed her name, his clothes sizzling to ashes.** "YOUR COMPANY... YOUR SCIENCE! AMBITIONS...! CRYPTON FAILURES AND PRODUCTS ALIKE! BUT ME! IS MY PAIN STILL CONSIDERED AS NOTHING?"**

Len was thrust back, but he leaned his entire body weight forward with gritted teeth. He forced himself against the soundwaves, practically swimming through. He sobbed, his chest tightening and his lungs collapsed. Barely gasping, he choked for air. He was only thirty feet away from her.

**"I'M A MONSTER! A MONSTER!"** The VOCALOID curled into a ball, shaking, "**A monster deserves a monstrous fate..****. This is all my-"**

"ENOUGH!" Len howled. His gasps became shaking pants. His legs became painful, heavy blocks, and his mind became numb. "The Rin I've known all this time isn't a monster! Just because you were born in a lab, just because you lived half of your life in isolation, and just because you're genetically different from human standards...-!" The fervent indignance in Len's voice negated her agonizing cries. His eyes became steel. He looked directly at her, shouting at the top of his cracking voice. "THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOUR LIFE ISN'T MEANT TO BE LIKE THIS!"

The shockwaves immediately thinned, lightening the air's intense pressure.

A bitter, metallic taste exploded in his mouth, and he coughed, spitting blood into his hands. His eyes widened, but he refused to care. Looking back up at the girl, his eyes hardened.

"What do you think humans really are, Rin?" he asked, clenching his shaking fists, "There are some pretty messed up people who'll hunt each other like prey! Self-destructive, unstable people whose bloodlust leads them to a path of violence and pain! To destroy everything they have and everyone else around them! They're even more monstrous than you!"

"Kagamine-kun..." Luka gasped, surprised to hear such a fiery outburst.

Bars dropped from the ceiling, clattering against the broken stairs.

Len panted, choking for air as he struggled to continue walking. Tears and blood marred his face, which was contorted in pure agony as his legs trembled furiously, barely allowing him to stand. His muscles tore and screamed. An unbearable heat rushed to his head, making his conscience reel.

Kaito could only watch as his stepbrother struggled to his feet, hardly standing. All he felt for Len at the moment was pure shock and awe. As of now, he couldn't remember a time when he respected him so intensely.

Len was now twenty feet away from touching her.

"There's people who will sell their own children to prostitution. There's others who empower themselves by exploiting the weak, stripping their dignity and honor, out of sick enjoyment. There's starving communities living in an endless cycle of poverty... and then there's the corrupted governments and rich people, doing anything for money and respect." he said, "There's plenty more I can tell you. But my point that there's a lot of messed up, twisted things in this world!"

Defiant blue eyes met clashing green.

"TELL ME! ARE YOU REALLY ONE OF THEM?" He demanded angrily. He coughed violently and grabbed his mouth, blood and water seeping through his fingers.

For a moment, emotion flashed through Rin's emerald corneas. She twitched.

"Humans aren't born kind, Rin!" An indignant shout broke the silence. Len approached again, coiling a fist as he staggered down the steps, "It's in our nature to bully, sneer, and look down on each other; some people don't even feel remorse just thinking about it; it's all just a prideful charade of hiding their own self-hatred and weaknesses!" he then looked down at his hands, ashamed, "I'm one of them."

Miku's eyes widened.

Buzzing lightning zapped through and struck the railway, obliterating it to ashes. The VOCALOID observed him with frightening silence, as if waiting for the right moment to kill him.

Meanwhile, across the broken steel bridge, Kaito, Teto, Meiko, Miku, and Luka watched in horror at this spectacle, terrified to see a once sweet girl become a raging machine. They felt so helpless and angry at themselves for being unable to do anything, yet no matter what, the only thing they were allowed to do was watch. If they even moved an inch, either Len, Dell, or the NND would furiously turn on them.

"This isn't fair..." Meiko whispered, furiously shaking her head. "I can't stand this at all. Can't we do something? Anything?" The friends looked at one another, exchanging conflicted expressions.

"We're Rin's friends too! If we all tried reaching out, maybe she'd listen to us." Teto desperately suggested, looking just as helpless and frustrated as Meiko. "Do they honestly expect us to just sit here and take this? C'mon, guys, let's do something!"

Hearing the girls protest amongst themselves, Miku's fists clenched. They were right; none of this was fair. Did Len honestly believe he could revert Rin back in such a state? Impossible! She'd already reached the brink of her destructive grief and madness, sinking lower than ever before and willingly hurting everyone. She'd gone completely ballistic, And at this rate, she would bring the entire building to its knees.

Miku chewed her bottom lip, hardly able to watch Len crossing the junk towards Rin.

Len's judgement was kind but unrational. So terribly irrational.

In this state, was he just pretending he could change something? None of them could. Was he the one desperately trying to be the hero Luka told him he was? Rin's hero?

The thought made her blood boil with defeat, envy, and hurt.

"Why can't you be my hero?" Miku asked achingly, closing her eyes before the tears could flow. She brought a fist to her chest, swallowing, "That way you wouldn't have to go through such torture to save me..." Looking at him already hurt so much. Why was he so willing to do this for Rin?

_Why?_

Water and blood dribbled down from Len's clenched jawline. He brushed past the electrical currents emitting from her body, "Maybe you were taught to act human. That doesn't matter." he rasped, losing his voice, "When I met you, I think I already knew you weren't like anyone else, but that doesn't make you despicable!" he chuckled weakly, blood weeping from his wounds.

The VOCALOID showed no reaction towards his words. She drifted, scraps of metal falling, and her hair flew around her. She eyed him emotionlessly as he continued to crawl towards her like a newborn.

"Maybe you believe it's unfair that no one asked for you to exist. To be dragged into pain and sorrow that isn't even your doing." Len reasoned soothingly, "But still, Rin... there's people here who're happy you were born." His marred clothes now dangled freely off his shoulders and back, stained with blood. His facial expression contorted painfully as he dragged himself forward, "I'm glad I got to know Rin. She's gentle and thoughtful... and a really good friend." He finished with a tearful grin.

**"You say that..."** The VOCALOID looked down, hair fluttering in the air. Her mouth then parted widely, **"But that doesn't change the fact part of me is _this!" _**Shrieking, another vibrant torrent pounded against him, slamming against his body and pushing him back. Len grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut as he felt his wounds reopening.

Len shook his head fiercely, tearing his eyes away from his wounds. Throwing his entire body weight against the impeding waves, he shuffled forward like a zombie. His feet barely moved across the trembling ground.

**"I'VE HURT EVERYONE! I'VE KILLED MOTHER! EVERYTHING IS DESTROYED!" **He barely heard Rin's sobbing conscience over the VOCALOID's intense shrieking, which only grew louder, deafening his ears. **"BUT THE WORST PART IS I DON'T REGRET IT! EVEN IF YOU'RE IN PAIN I DON'T REGRET IT! IT'S PAINFUL ISN'T IT? ISN'T IT?!"**

"It's nothing compared to yours!" Len screamed back, throwing his arms out, "If it's too much, share it with me! I'll happily embrace your burden!"

Furious, the cyborg threw her arms out, and electricity exploded from her palms, zapping everything in a white-hot flash. Crackling sparks buzzed and enveloped Len's body, much to his horror, electrocuting him. He screamed.

Everyone erupted in terrified shouts, desperate and suddenly, they were all banging against the wires, screaming and begging for Rin to stop. Kaito tried uselessly to destroy the fence using a piece of wood. They all nearly cried in angry defeat. Not at Rin, really, but more at themselves.

**"Acting so arrogant as to believe you can shoulder my burden? Out of pride or foolish overconfidence... YOU'RE NOTHING! DISGUSTING! DON'T PRETEND TO BE SELFLESS YOU ONLY WANT TO REAP BENEFITS!"**

No! Len wanted to cry, trembling to his feet. He wasn't suffering out of self-gain or benefit! He wasn't trying to be irritably imposing or heroic... no.

_I'm doing this for you!_

Len felt like he was on fire. Every muscle and fiber in his body screamed and tightened.

He wasn't in pain because of the torture, really. Intense soccer training taught him how to override physical pain no matter how unbearable it seemed... it would eventually fade. He was hurt because Rin was so afraid of believing in him, that he only wanted to help her because he cared about her. Out of all people, how could she believe _he _was acting out of self-gain?

_Have you been broken to the point where you can't trust anyone anymore?_

_To become so hysterically cynical...?_

Just hearing her screaming out her pain and tears underneath the cold, perfunctionary mask made his chest contract painfully, and he could feel his heart breaking, shattering into a million fragments. It would be nearly impossible to fix the damage. Seeing her so afraid, incensed, and delirious, it scared him.

_Rin,_ Len looked up desperately, almost helplessly at his once soft-spoken friend, _you've suffered this entire time?_

Relevantly, Rin's conscience screamed out, burdening words dropping like rocks. **"To be human is difficult, you constantly think about it, but at the same time, this part of me wants nothing more than to destroy everything, everyone who loves me! Who I love-!"** She suddenly lost herself, blasting another rain of bolts towards him. **"AND I DON'T REGRET IT!"**

She continued torturing him. Electrocuting him again. And again! and again! _again!_

Len screamed voicelessly. He wanted it to stop! He wanted this pain to stop! His throat bulged with incoherent cries. He couldn't take anymore!

**"IF YOU WON'T KILL ME THEN GO! IF YOU REFUSE TO MOVE I'LL BURY ALL OF YOU IN THIS RUBBLE! I WON'T BE SWAYED INTO GOING BACK! A FEW LIVES FOR HUNDREDS IS A PERFECT EXCHANGE! I WON'T BE CRUSHED BY MY ENEMIES ALONG WITH THIS UNBEARABLE GUILT OF KILLING EVERYONE AROUND ME! IF ALL I AM IS A WEAPON ****I'D RATHER DIE!"**

The impact was too much. Len's knees gave out, and he fell to the rusty floor, cutting his hands on the glass bits. Sobbing desperately for air, he writhed against the glass. Gnashing his teeth in agony, he lifted himself up with battered arms. His clothes were shredded and burnt, barely hanging off his torso, even his shoes were burnt black. Even when the voltage stopped, he could still feel his nerves tingling. Machines and the building itself groaned and distorted from the heavy soundwaves. Len felt he was going deaf even though his earplugs prevented that.

An angry Kaito flung himself onto the wired fence, shaking the gate. He screamed for Rin to stop, begging her. The other girls joined him.

"Stop it!"

"Rin-chan, enough! You're better than this!"

All the shouting drew the cyborg's attention, and she slowly turned. Bolts crackled around her head like a halo before she shot at them, igniting electrifying currents to conduct the fence.

Len's head bobbled up, and he gazed overhead. For the first time, he realized it was raining. It was painful to even blink as water cascaded down his face. His vision was fading, and it was getting harder to hear. Vaguely, he was aware of Rin's high-pitched wails. His head became a heavy weight straining his aching neck, and he tiredly laid down, panting.

All he could think about was sleep...

**_"La la la la laaaa~"_**

A sweet, bright voice echoed in his head. A voice he once loved. He breathed slowly, his weary eyelids falling. A nostalgic haze overtook his mind.

**_"I dreamed of wrapping my hands around your neck_**

**_'Neath curtains rustled by a breeze_**

**_The words overflow from your dried lips, like bubbles..."_**

* * *

_A hill, a summer sky, and the oak tree that witnessed a meeting between two friends._

_The air was warm and crisp, and the boy lying against the trunk took in the soft grass and playful sun. Orange perfume filled his nostrils as someone drew closer, caressing his face with a gentle hand. Blonde hair swished under a white hat. Arms parted widely, and a smile settled on her face._

_"Sleeping again? You better sing for me today."_

* * *

_Everything was black._

_He couldn't see anything._

_Then a flash of white flickering past his peripheral vision, and he quickly turned to see a little girl running barefoot ahead of him. Gasping, he ran to catch up with her. He could her laughter ringing faintly as she continued singing. _

**_"I want to dive in the nuclear reactor_**

**_Surrounded by beautiful blue lights_**

**_If I dive into the reactor, then I can let it all go..."_**

_Her bright voice sang throughout the void, echoing. She vaguely reminded him of doves: she was pure, sweet, and had a beautiful voice. Hearing it immediately brought comfort. Hopeful and elated, Len didn't even mind how strange and hostile the words sounded; he was too entranced._

_Suddenly they were on a chained bridge inside a vertical blue tunnel. Rings flowed up and down the tunnel, enveloping them in green light. A strong, acidic pungency filled the air, making Len's nostrils burn. He coughed, covering his mouth with a burnt sleeve. _

**_"Allegro, Agitato... my ears won't stop ringing!_**

**_Allegro, Agitato... my ears won't stop ringing...!"_**

_Giggles erupted from the girl as she continued singing, even tossing him a quick glance before urging him on. He was surprised she was still singing. Then his eyes followed where she was gesturing and nearly bulged in surprise._

_Ahead was a giant tube, apparently a reactor. It stood over at least 2000 feet, filling most of the blue void. Its wide width nearly touched the walls. Chemicals boiled within the bubbling water, and Len could make out human shapes moving inside. He blinked and swore he saw hands imprinting on the glass._

_"I dreamed that everyone was disappearing,"_

_The girl led him to the end of the bridge, just hovering over the open reactor, bubbling with ferocity. Still, she continued running. Len, realizing her intentions, screamed in shock and desperation. __His hand shot forward, aching to reach the little girl._

_"Wait!"_

_But it was too late._

**_____"The emptiness and silence of this room in the night; it weights down on me; I can't breathe anymore...!"_**

_Shortly, visions of them playing, her smiling, her screaming and throwing a seizure in the middle of the park, her crying screams as she was being forced on a lab table and scientists injecting chemicals in her, her writhing form in a dark room..._

_But most of all, he could see her underlying pain and bitter tears behind a forced, childish grin._

**_Her façade._**

_She jumped... and screamed._

_Len screamed as well, witnessing her tiny form flailing just above the moving waters before a deafening splash sounded._

_Her white dressed became dark from the water, and she was still staring up at him. Clinging to the edge, Len shook his head multiple times in disbelief. Tears welled up in his eyes as he screamed her name. Triggered by his desperation, his hand shot out like a bullet. He was about to jump in as well before the girl simply shook her head, sighing._

_...Why?_

**_"Should I dive into the nuclear reactor_**

**_I know I can disappear, so I can sleep_**

**_A morning without me will be much more wonderful now_**

**_Where everything is in gear..._**

**_That sort of world, definitely..._**

**_Ah ahhh ahhhhh ahhhh... aahhhh!"_**

_Just as she sang that last note, a bright light flashed and momentarily blinded him. Bubbles fizzled around him._

* * *

Whether it was the disturbing nightmare or the receding rain on his back, Len suddenly jolted awake. Rin was still hovering above, eyes emotionless and cold. She was no longer screaming, but her fists trembled warningly.

Len's eyes lowered to his now bleeding hands. He felt very cold. Every fiber in his body ached, and his muscles contracted painfully. His breathing had gone rigid, and he was sorely aware of the fact that he could no longer feel his legs. Shaking, he tried to get up. His knees were wobbling like unsteady balls. Pain shot up his burning legs, and he bit back a whimper. The VOCALOID twitched uncontrollably, staring down at the boy. Len nearly chuckled if not for the murderous look on her face.

She was angry...

The VOC-, no, _Rin_ was angry because he was still standing.

Managing a smile, he looked at her with all the determination and understanding of the world.

"Your world... must've been so lonely..." Len began thickly. The cyborg merely floated, encaged in her electromagnetic field. "Forced to grow up and defend yourself from the affairs of your company, your illness..." his blue eyes darkened slightly as he muttered, "your family."

For a moment, his entire face softened. Trembling to his feet, he lurched forward and climbed the scrap mountain where the cyborg reined, like a queen. His feet convulsing under his trembling weight, and he had a difficult time maneuvering his hands, which clung onto trash like footholds.

It was a long, painful climb... every step was like walking to hell, and every breath he took was painful. Sweat dribbled down the nape of his neck. Blood dripped from his messy hair and flooded into his eyes, blinding his vision. He panted, stopping to wipe it before moving again.

The boy's leg caught onto a razor, and his eyes shot open.

_Fire... it shot up his leg and into the depths of his hazy mind._

He wanted to scream but couldn't. He wouldn't risk alerting her. A choked cry escaped from his cracked lips, and he squeezed his eyes shut in pain. Alarm awakened his veins as his grip slackened. Len fell, raising his head to look at the girl who was just inches away. Shakily, he shot his hand towards her, aching to reach the girl he l...

_Soft lyrics echoed in the yellow room, along with the strumming of an old acoustic guitar. The lights were fairly dim, but the evening sun was enough to brightly color the room like a canvas. Music sheets scattered along the checkered bed, orange peels littered the carpet, and slight laughs created the peaceful atmosphere._

_Rin kept watching him, curled inside the cave of yellow pillows. Her blonde head poked out slightly, bobbing dreamily to the music. Len smiled slightly and continued to sing. She still couldn't speak Japanese, much less understand the language. Earlier, he found her snooping inside his room (more accurately, his closet) and carrying his old guitar with a puzzled look._

_An amused Len only grinned and took it from her. The look on Rin's face was priceless when he started playing. At first, she acted very cautious and suspicious. She would stare and hesitantly prod his guitar before springing several feet away as if it would come to life and attack. Eventually, she showed her approval and fascination, even going so far as to try talking to it._

_"__Schön_! _Schön_!" She kept saying, nodding fervently. He liked the way her eyes shined when he strummed faster. Her face looked incredibly bright, her lips trembling with uncontained mirth. Then she turned on him with infectious joy. She looked incredibly grateful, with her eyes filled with admiration and awe. It was as if she were looking at him in a new light.

_("Beautiful! Beautiful!")_

_Len laughed, causing Rin to brighten even further. She even sang along with him, emphasizing with babbles instead of the actual words. Still..._

_That smile..._

Len's conscience snapped into reality, and he immediately steeled himself. Just before he completely starting pummeling downwards, he grabbed onto a ledge and pulling himself back up. His arm immediately screamed for mercy, but he ignored it, pushing on.

He gasped, wincing as he climbed, "Hurting people, destroying them... destroying everything around you... you say it's what you want, but," he looked at her, "you aren't enjoying it." If his vision wasn't so hazy, he would've noticed the slightest tremble on her lips.

Even as sharp wires poked and prodded at his legs and arms, he defiantly continued to climb. His nails dug into the cartridges of littered guns and broken fences. From every painful sensation, he continued on almost masochistically. Despite feeling like he was about to faint, he didn't want to think he was getting weak.

If anything, he was becoming strong.

Finally, when the excruiating climb to death was over, Len did something that would've shocked Dell, his friends, and even Leon himself: he threw his arms around the electrifying cyborg.

_Up close_, Len thought to himself, smiling despite the bitter pain his body was convulsing through, _I can still see you__._ The snarling cyborg tensed, face contorting and arms shaking to rip the boy from the sudden embrace until his lips parted.

"The reason why Rin is creating pain for others is because doing so hurts you the most."

For the first time ever, the VOCALOID ceased from attacking. Len's legs finally gave way as he sank to his knees, but instead of releasing Rin, he clung weakly to her legs, burying the side of his face against her waist as sparks punished him. Still, he smiled.

"By hurting others, breaking them down... in the end, you're just trying to destroy yourself." he said sadly, "You really want to hurt yourself, huh, Rin?" The cyborg flinched, trembling uncontrollably. Len smile widened: he knew Rin's rage was there.

"You only needed to be understood; acknowledged. A life full of bitterness, companionship, love... pain... you would've accepted it all. It's all humans needed to be happy." he slowly raised his eyes to meet hers, his smile quivering, "That's what makes everyone alike." At his words, the cyborg nearly faltered. Her muscles loosened from the impossibly rigid stance.

Green corneas momentarily flared before dimming into a faint, almost untraceable shade of blue.

"But you've already earned that, and the fact you can suppress the dark side everyone has; the fact you're reluctant to hurt; the fact you can still feel, smile, cry, laugh, scream... you're already human... and you're not alone anymore," Len uttered, breathing against her thighs, "_Rin_." All at once, color returned to the rigid cyborg. Pupils dilated, and shimmering blue corneas appeared... which widened with warm, bubbling tears.

Her cold breathing had become unsteady and muffled with hiccupping sobs. Len quickly noticed the fact she was covering her eyes, gasping and trembling. Hesitantly, he reached out and the instant, his thumb grazed the contour of her cheek, she recoiled at his touch and twitched erratically.

All Len could feel was pure sorrow for Rin.

Rin, poor Rin.

The girl standing before him wasn't a monster at all. Through the months of getting to know her, the only thing she proved to be was a gentle-natured rabbit. Timid, vulnerable, and frantic. This girl loved flowers and food. Her natural curiosity unintentionally dragged everyone into hellholes, but somehow she'd get away with an innocent blink of her eyes. The only thing she hated more than herself was violence.

Violence which she was causing.

**"LIAR..." **She grabbed his shoulders, holding onto him tightly and summoned all her energy to electrocute him. Upon hearing his screams and convulsing quivers, she glared on him angrily and painfully, fingers clenching. She started levitating again, dragging up Len as well. **"You're not the first who's tried to manipulate me! In the end, you'll abandon me too! Crush me and shame me for all to see just like my family! You're just like them." **She yanked his shirt collar with both hands, hovering over him with a terrifying glare. Yet behind the monotone mask, he could see her underlying confusion, angst, and persistent anger. Her eyes became a murky turqoise. Len, unfazed by her terrifying threat, barely shook his head and gave a short frown. He grasped onto her hands, furrowing his brows in discomfort.

"Enough already, Rin..." Len murmured, leaning in. He allowed their chests and shoulders to touch, daring to rest his forehead against hers, "I already promised you two things..." he said, eyes radiating warmth, "To always stay by your side and to protect you..." He then shut his eyes. The latter he hadn't been able to do very well, and to say it frustrated him was an understatement. But the former, well...

_I'm so weak I can't even protect her _

_Everything that's happened it was always her who's saved me I've done nothing for her_

_why can't I be stronger isn't there a way_

_I'm just a kid_

_a kid_

_my body is weak and breakable all I can do is hold her_

_not enough not enough_

"But... I'm still here," Len muttered to his seething thoughts, smiling bitterly as he looked at Rin, "I'm sorry for being weak. All this time..., I can't even guard you against your past... I'm sorry," Rin's muscles twitched involutarily as her facial expressions twisted uncomfortably. "The only thing I can do is hold you, comfort you... but it's not enough, is it?"

_You're wrong. It's more than enough._

Blue briefly colored her corneas.

_It's all I ever wanted._

"But I'm still here, Rin," He reached for her hand and brushed his lips against her fingers, "I always will be."

Tears ran down her ashen cheeks as her fists shook, wrenching his clothes. His persistence continued to baffle her. Why was it after all this time, he still wanted to be with her? She was trying so hard to make him see they couldn't! **"You disregard the fact I abused you! Clung to you! Hurt you! I took advantage of your kindness and dragged you into crisises along with everyone you care about! Why are you still so kind... why are you still being kind to** **me? You should be afraid!"** she declared, her pride shooting down the train and seeing no other reason why he still persisted with kindness. Her eyes then glazed again with fiery contempt,** "You pity me."**

Len frowned, bangs falling over his eyes as he shook his head. He murmured something incoherent to other ears. An audible gasp escaped from Rin's lips, and tears streamed down her face. Her features tightened with disbelief and shock, and her hands flew to her mouth.

_That's why..._

Unable to comprehend those words, Rin stiffened and spammed, mentally gasping and shaking her head in denial. She couldn't move. She just couldn't. The truth finally sank in, and when Len placed his hand over her left breast, making her follow suit.

"Listen...," Len whispered against her shoulder, closing his eyes.

**_Ba-thump. Ba-thump. BA-THUMP._**

_BA-THUMP BA-THUMP BA-THUMP!_

Rin slowly blinked.

"Do you get it now? My heart is racing all because of you." Len asked, drawing away and looking at her with all the warmth and attention in the world. "Our synchronizing hearts, yours and mine: we're not so different after all." He then smiled hopefully, "...right?" Rin's eyes widened, her mouth now quivering. Words constricted her throat, and she was rendered speechless.

"The pain in your quiet voice... hasn't reached me until now." Len shakily breathed, grasping her palms against his rapid beating heart, "I can hear you, Rin." He pressed his forehead against hers, whispering, "But right now, my heart is telling you something," His eyes bore into hers, radiating warmth and flooding affection, "Can you hear my heart?" The tears finally started to fall. Salty liquids ran down Rin's injured face, wetting her cheeks and neckline. Her headset glowed amorously, along with her blue eyes. Her chest began to constrict strangely, and her heart finally started to accelerate, matching his rhythm.

_This feeling... along with this fragile thing in my chest_, Rin realized tearfully, _I finally understand what means..._

Her heart broke when Len started singing in a ragged and cracked voice. His words were raspy and barely coherent, but his kindness was enough to even calm the wildest of beasts. His bruised mouth moved slowly but beautifully.

To everyone below, they almost believed he was an angel. His lyrics were evoked from his deep emotions. His lyrics evoked a strange reaction from Rin, like calming a storm. She shuddered, shivered, then her watery eyes finally became blue. Her shining, hard skin became soft again. Her stiff stature went limp and awkward as her muscles quivered uncontrollably.

Memories of how she would constantly beg him to sing flooded her mind. Sometimes he would even teach her the lyrics.

His voice.

Len's voice... it was always what would soothe her fears.

Overcome with emotions, she broke and desperately flung her arms around his neck. Her stiff form melted into his embrace as she sought comfort in his arms like a little child. Joyful tears splattered against his face. She screamed, not of cold rage or inhuman impact, but a real, _human_ cry between remorse and relief.

Most of all, she screamed his name, surprising him out his singing.

And that did it.

For the first time since he was little, Len cried. But unlike the lonely, silent tears he shed, he cried tears of relief. Despite his weak limits, he squeezed her to his chest, face buried in her shoulder and arms wound around her lower back. The thought of letting her fall perked his awareness. Rin, on the other hand, had her arms locked around his neck, pulling him into an equally needing embrace. They cried. Unbeknownst to the embracing teenagers, they were falling... only to be caught in the arms of their friends.

* * *

Mikuo watched from the roof as the group of teenagers piled out of the warehouse, carrying two blondes separately despite them weakly protesting. They complied on allowing their hands enjoined, swinging back and forth. A bandaged Nami rushed out, practically shoving doctors aside as she openly attacked the teenagers in a crying mess. Dell, Gakupo, and the scientists remained at the vans, watching the scene.

Five hundred feet above the ground, stood a lean teenager boy hiding in the shadows of the warehouse, chuckling lowly.

Kagamine Len (who was inside a van with his mother) collapsed onto a stretcher and breathed into a humidifier. His lips quirked into a slight smirk. Leaning against the pillar, his eyes flickered across the tired teenagers. Kaito, Meiko, Teto, and Luka were being carried away on stretchers. Teto grinned dizzily at the rest, pumping her fist in victory before fainting. He also noticed the way Kaito hesitantly reached out from his bed and pulled a strand of hair from Meiko's eyes, who was already fast asleep. Luka was protesting against a few nurses, arguing she could patch herself up until professor Gakupo came along and promptly attended to her twisted ankle, only intensifying her flustered protests.

He then looked at the exhausted cyborg, who had finally collapsed into the reactor Dell had her enter. Sighing, he looked towards the bleak sky, dangling a silver necklace.

"Time's running out..." he sighed again before his eyes lazily landed on his baffled sister, who was observing everything around her. She gazed down at her computer recorded with notes before hesitantly taking out her phone. Interested, he watched as she tucked her phone under her waistline with a serious frown on her face. He chuckled, "What will you do now, Miku?"

Would she tattle on their unreliable uncle?

His smile momentarily dissipated when he recalled Namine threatening her. A dark grin grew on his face.

"Namine Ritsu, you arrogant little rat. I'll have to punish you."

He shook his head, chuckling. Well, even if she did, that step would only lead her to a terrible downfall with her friends. Breaking their trust wouldn't get her anywhere near finding out about him... then his eyes darkened considerably as a bitter smile reached his features.

Times have changed.

Even Miku was the last person who'd understand how he became _this._ For the company... for everything. For the complicated plans and mysterious project Leon had launched years ago, she only knew half of it. Even Dell... he glanced at the said co-founder, smiling a bit. Dell still wasn't as honest as they'd like him to be, but he couldn't blame the man. Project: VOCALOID was more complicated than everyone thought.

It involved more than just Rin's creation.

Mikuo turned before whispered under his breath, "All of you... become stronger." A loud exhale escaped him as he leaped off the balcony, humming to himself. Looking up towards the dark sky, he relished the snow pounding against his clothes and simply breathed.

* * *

**A/N: **... All lot to take in all at once, right? :D Yeah. But it's okay, I know you guys can handle it. Anyway, I WAS going to stop here, but I've decided to post an extra route ending to this chapter. It's like, a secret ending, I suppose. OMG this chapter took me FOREVER to post, so like... enjoy it? XD Really, though it took me ages. I've done my best. This has to be the longest chapter I've ever written in my entire life.

* * *

**Tokyo, Japan**

**? Facility**

**2:00 AM**

Things were much simpler back then.

Steel rooms and endless corridors connected to an endless labyrinth. Somber, unsmiling adults dressed in lab coats made up a monochrome world. The temperature was always cold and dry. Fluorescent lights replaced the friendly sun. Children were forced into cages and locked up like animals. Sometimes the scientists would drag them out to "reproduce", forcing the others to watch. Whoever rebelled against the rules were severely punished.

Repetitive.

In the cramped quarters of that prison, the smell of death often lingered. There was no real hope of survival or freedom. In a way, dying in your sleep was a mercy compared to other options. Needles and burning mixtures. Deformed creatures locked in cages, their curious yet frightened eyes longing for freedom. The small hope they clung to was destroyed once they were dragged off into a different room. The reactor bubbled loudly and shamanistic screams broke, sealing their unavoidable fate.

Yes, most of all, the Takashi reactor revolved around the childrens' lives.

They were the children, the Crypton failures.

Most of all, they were lucky. It was Hatsune Mikuo who saved them. In return, they succumbed to him. He had everyone here exported from Berlin. The older ones stayed behind to rot. Still, the young ones practically crawled on their knees at the sight of Mikuo.

But was he really their hero?

IA, the only sane one in the room, watched her brothers and sisters play with blocks. She let out a long, sad sigh.

Ah... at least compared to Berlin, this place is much kinder.

"AAAAAAAAGGHHHHHH!"

"New arrivals," A whisper broke the silence, and IA blinked curiously at the closed glass doors. Someone let out a cry resembling an harpy's. It echoed down the hall. The other children scuffled excitedly, climbing on top of each other to see triplets fighting against their binds.

"Ha. Brats sound ugly when they scream."

"Do they come from a kingdom? They look awfully pampered. Just look at their stomachs."

"Look at them struggle."

"Yes, but they're tiny, aren't they?"

"The white ones here are nicer than the ones in Germany. They should shut up."

"Could've given that boy anesthetic though."

"Yes, he's a screamer."

IA watched the triplets, sobbing weakly, drift off to sleep. She wasn't worried though. They'd be fine later. Here, they were confined behind playpens. They were free to wander anywhere in the brightly lit room, and they could even openly associate with each other. if thought as she silently exchanged hellos with the smiling girl across her shared pen... Ring Suzune, yes. That was her name. A happy grin glued on her tear-stained face. She was the oldest of them. Now that they were here, she no longer hid her face in her hands like she did in her tiny cage.

"Surreal." she said aloud. Yes, it was surreal to see so many smiles now. Just months before, they were encased like beasts. Because of their mental instability, their powers often got out of hand. No one dared to make a sound in Berlin. Certainly there weren't happy faces to see. But she liked the ways things were now. She really did. Just thinking about Berlin or that dreadful Takashi man gave her nightmares. If it weren't for Mikuo, none of the children would be alive, including herself.

But then, she thought as her fingers traced the x-shaped scar on her collarbone (her 'siblings' bore the same mark), why wasn't she wearing a grin as well? She and few of the older ones were very fortunate to be here.

Yet despite everything, nothing truly changed.

IA slumped against the wall, staring at the ceiling portraying a beautiful night sky. The moon shone like a grinning diamond, and the stars were like leering eyes. She snorted, blowing bangs from her eyes. Even the damn mural mocked their imprisonment.

It didn't matter if their environment was different. Nothing changed the fact they were still imprisoned, that they were mutated martyrs, or that society labeled them as destructive weapons.

Not children... never as children.

_Regardless, everyone here is insane._

"Still, it could be so much worse..." she reasoned with herself. After all, the only thing she really feared was being sent back to Berlin. A boisterous laugh exploded. She saw Oliver chasing after Aoki and Galaco, who had stolen his paper bird ("James" he had named it, which IA found peculiar).

"Give him here!" he shouted.

No one talked to each other back then. Now, everyone seemed to get along splendidly. There wasn't a face here she didn't see as a friend. Oliver was from Britain, mangled in an accident. Aoki was a natural-born swimmer, she could do so before walking. That ended on a cruise ship when terrorists attacked. IA, Galaco and the rest were involved in human trafficking, sold to Crypton as experimental products.

They were their own family.

Lui tugged at her arm, shattering her daze.

"That one's been knocked out since yesterday," he said, "The white ones haven't laid a finger on him." Her eyes followed the direction where he was pointing.

IA nodded, "Most peculiar."

"Yeah. Think he's dead?"

"No. Mikuo wouldn't've brought him here otherwise."

Her younger friend frowned, "The surgery he went through must've been hell. His screaming was fit to beat Jesus. Now look at him." It was true. Mikuo had brought a little metal creature chained inside a box. The children saw him and the white ones forced him out and dragged the trilling thing into the surgery room. Nine hours later, they brought out a child swaddled in gauze. At first they were thrilled to have another family member and rushed to meet him, but Mikuo forbade anyone to go near him. Awing and admiring Mikuo, they all happily obeyed his order and soon forgot about the little boy.

"Bet he hasn't eaten in days. I should like to give him my ration."

IA, known for being selfish, shook her head, "Worry about yourself first. Aside from that, nobody can eat if they're sleeping. We should be patient and let the white ones handle him." But Lui wasn't going to listen to reason. IA realized this when he started towards him. Irate, she lurched him back by his collar. He gagged. "Mikuo won't like it if you betray him."

Lui pushed her away and rubbed his neck, pouting. "What about Akikoloid then? She says she got a good look at him while everyone slept." IA narrowed her eyes in disbelief. Akikoloid was the youngest out of everyone here. She said the strangest things at time about the oddest of things. Not only that, but she was highly unpredictable. Sometimes she caused trouble, and the white ones didn't particularly favor her. No one knew where she came from or how she got here.

"Likes to talk, doesn't she."

"If I didn't, we'd always be bored." The two jumped at the newly added voice. It belonged to the impish Akikoloid.

IA relaxed; had it been anyone else, there would've been trouble.

"It's rude to eavesdrop."

"Not as rude as gossiping." Akikoloid cheerily answered, refusing to have her mood dampened. "But Lui's right. I got a good look at the new boy, I did." She looked around cautiously before whispering to them, "His hair is clover green, and he smells like metal. A small fry, he is. Even younger than me..." she paused, "how old are we anyway? I never keep track."

For the first time, IA smiled, "Another boy?" Interesting. They were too many girls here anyway.

Akikoloid gave them a toothy grin, "They gave him scales. They're all over him, and there's some on his face. They felt papery."

"You touched him!"

The youngest android frowned at her disbelieving tone, "I know what you're going to say. Mikuo ain't here to make me regret it." Sniffing, she added, "I never liked him much in the first place."

Lui shook her head in disagreement, "Aoki and them wanna marry him, 'specially Ring. You'll get bullied if they hear you."

Akikoloid shrugged, "Well, he thinks too much. Such men are dangerous." she suddenly smiled, "The new one is tough though. The surgery makes him look beautiful." Then her lips parted into a wicked grin, "I'll show you."

"Really?"

"Lui, don't," IA tugged him back, glaring at Akikoloid, "He could be dangerous!" Dangerous? Raw curiosity ebbed at Lui, and like a bee attracted to honey, he whizzed over to the patient. IA scolded him and followed. Akikoloid chuckled, taking sheer pleasure in causing this.

He was just like Aki-chan described.

A tiny thing, he could've been easily mistaken as a harmless child. Slow rises of his chest indicated he was still alive. When the children saw the odd angles of his legs, they nearly shuddered in disgust. Gauze swaddled most of his body and face, which only made him more alluring and mysterious.

_And familiar._

Lustrous scales gleamed under the lighting. Then something strange happened.

The patient woke up. IA was so surprised that she hid behind Lui. She didn't drop her gaze though. There he was, sitting up with both eyes open. No one made a sound. On her part, she couldn't speak because of how strangely reminiscent those eyes looked.

Those remarkable green eyes.

"I know you," she was surprised to hear those words, even more surprised to find those words coming from her own lips. Even so, she got on her knees and gazed in wonder at the bandaged face. A gentle joy washed over her, a feeling she thought was lost, and her fingers touched his cheek. He flinched at this affectionate gesture and moved away, looking guarded. IA gasped and covered her mouth. Tears filled her eyes.

Now she remembered! It has to be!

"Ryuto."

* * *

_"When I grow up, I'm gonna be a dinasour!"_

Lui and Akikoloid tensed in angry realization. They exchanged quick glances, confirming their similar thoughts.

_Ryuto._

...Yes. He had been a failure once too, right? Confusion filled them. His story foretold tragic coincidences he'd yet to recall. Before GachapoidR3000, there was Ryuto Amemiya. He was the youngest of all the failures. A precoucious idealist, he could've been their spokesperson. The Berlin scientists didn't think so, and when selection came, he was chosen as their new 'experiment' (though most assumed he'd been sent to the reactor) IA was forced to watch her crying friend being dragged to the other room, sobbing and screaming for mercy.

_"IA! EVERYONE! PLEASE I DON'T WANNA DIE!"_

At the time, the only thing the failures felt was pathetic relief (for not being picked).

Poor Ryuto.

Yet who'd've thought _he_ was to be a mental function of the VOCALOID? An automatic servant?

"Ryuto..." The scaly boy repeated, gazing at IA confusedly, "that's...not my name." Despite his effort to look firm, he didn't sound certain of his words. Then he looked around, forehead crinkling. "Why am I here... Mikuo said he'd explain everything... where-"

Despite his words, IA gave a watery smile.

"You're alive... you're safe..." her voice shook with emotion, and tears filled her eyes. "You remember me, don't you? It's me; IA; big sister IA. We shared the same cage, remember?" she took his hand in hers, squeezing it for emphasis. Her smile grew bigger at his thoughtful expression; it was a sight she sorely missed.

"IA..." Jade eyes grew wide with recognition, and he quietly admitted, "Yes, I remember." Overjoyed, IA flung her arms around his neck, sobbing. The little boy she knew was... no longer little. He'd matured into this strong, sensible creature. He'd no longer braid her hair or be her cuddle buddy at night. It was a sad thought, yes, but seeing him here, _alive_, made her incredibly elated.

Gachapoid, covered in a forest of white-blond hair, quietly pondered. He'd always been vaguely aware of his past, but once he became GachapoidR3000, he didn't think 'Ryuto' mattered anymore. That name was abandoned long ago.

Until now, at least.

He took a whiff of IA's scent: crisp and metallic, nonetheless a friendly smell.

"Aria," he breathed, eyes widening at the familiarity of the ridiculous nickname. IA only wept harder, a relieved grin splitting her face. During their first months together, he'd have the hardest time pronouncing her name. As a result, he just called her "Aria".

"I've missed you so badly, Ryuto. So badly..."

Hot tears gathered in his eyes despite himself, and his vision began to blur. Gachapoid, momentarily startled, felt his wet cheeks. Then a wave of understanding washed over him. IA hugged him tighter, nearly crushing his ribs. Gacha-, no, Ryuto didn't mind.

After all, they were friends.

"Look here, everyone! It's Ryuto!" Their moment was ruined when the boy behind her shouted to the other children, immediately attracting them like bees to honey. Tiny feet pattered towards the bed seeing the awakened newcomer. IA slowly released him, but she no longer seemed happy. Instead she looked grave and deeply sympathetic. She glanced at the approaching children, then at him. Shakily, she planted a quick kiss on his forehead before edging away, her eyes still on him.

All the children wore demented grins, staggering towards him. Their insanity peaked when they saw his perfect body, unharmed and unscarred. For some reason, Gachapoid felt extremely dread weighing on his shoulders they surrounded his bed, blocking all escape routes.

"SO!" Lui exclaimed loudly, mocking excitement, "The white ones decided to show off, sending this traitor covered in pretty scales; it's as if his imperfection never existed. Ha, shall we bow to you then?" he bowed quickly, jeering, and the little ones copied his actions.

Ryuto tensed, his eyes flitting around suspiciously. His claws enclosed around his blankets.

"W-What are you talking about?"

"No blemishes or twisted organs." Ring giggled, stabbing a finger at the metal circle imprinted on his naked back. This only made Ryuto more confused, and the small girl cocked his head at him, smiling eerily. "Namine and Defoko will accept you, Ryuto; you're worthy of fighting alongside them."

"Yes, you're a beauty," Aoki chirped, "But just because those fools switched your rank doesn't mean we gotta follow their rules." She giggled in a manner that chilled his bones, "We used to know you as a friend but not anymore," a terrible grin twisted her features. "Now, you're just like _them_: those cocky mongrels. Merely an appetizer to Leon's ambitous stomach! Human ambition..." she spat in disgust, jerking her head above.

Confused, Ryuto glanced up into the ceiling mirror and nearly fainted in shock. His lower lip began to tremble, and his reptile claws writhed against his dry, scaly face.

"W-What's happened to me...?" he asked slowly and looked back at the children, pupils alit in terror. "What have you done to me? WHY AM I LIKE THIS?" he wailed in anguish, clawing at his skin in attempt to remove the scales. He bled from the impact but didn't care. IA quickly stopped him.

"You've been upgraded; your surgery was a success."

"S-Surgery?" Ryuto repeated, swallowing thickly.

"QUIT PLAYING STUPID!" Lui suddenly snarled, slamming a fist against the headboard. A metal clang resounded. He opposed Ryuto in a predatory manner, eying him like helpless prey. Then his demeanor quickly softened, and a sweet smile replaced that look of fury. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell." he beamed cheerily, "You're a Crypton product now."

Ryuto, shuddering, edged away from him. He wrung his wrists, breathing quickly. "W-Wait..., all of you. I know your names." His fingers dug into both sides of his head as if trying to dig out buried memories.

Just then the lights turned off.

Dark giggles echoed.

In the vast darkness, Ryuto found himself staring at mutated, discolored faces. Their glowing scars and gashes were now visible in the dark. grinned at Ryuto. Some of them were missing limbs, Singing a haunting melody, their voices became low and eerie. A matching choir, their bodies swayed like branches, twitching erratically. Some giggled and pointed at him, others tried attacking him. The room was no longer white but dark and filled with wrathful children.

Across every dark face, a distorted X was carved, resembling battle scars. The letter glowed red.

"Names, names, names, names..." Akikoloid laughed dementedly, "NAMES NAMES _NAMESSS_..." as she edged beside Lui, her voice started to sound like a broken record. Other children joined her, singing the word like a creepy nursery rhyme. "But what's in a name, I wonder."

"A worthy title?" one suggested, giggling. Ryuto noted they were all wearing collars, which suddenly tightened around their throats with spikes emerging.

"An acknowledge of someone's existence?" Another chimed in.

"A level in power?"

"Or is a name simply define a person? Who you are?"

"If so, then surely we have other names." Akikoloid agreed, her bare feet padding against the metal floor, and never was the sound so sinister. "But to humans, we're just numbers; we're expendable wastes that multiply."

"Multiply? But-" Ryuto started.

A pitiful smile broke on IA's deformed face, which made Ryuto shudder at the sight. "To think you forgot us so easily... everything we went through as a family... years of pain and silence, waiting..."

"You're acting as if it was all for nothing." Lui added coldly. Others murmured in angry agreement. Ryuto shook his head frantically; he was sweating heavily now. These children weren't scary... they were downright terrifying. The look in their eyes radiated the same fury and destruction. Sinister grins formed on every deformed face, and their movements jerky and stiff with every step they took.

"To everyone, we're ugly things. So ugly... worthless..."

"No one likes us... we're just failures..."

"Ugly."

"Worthless."

"Hated."

"...Meaningless."

"We're black sheep. The white ones like hurting us."

Akikoloid, eyes half-lidded, seized his face and giggled, "...Can I have your eyes? They'll look so pretty in my collection~!"

"I want his liver!"

"His kidneys are mine!"

"No, mine!"

"Mine!"

"MINE!"

Furious cries argued over who got his body parts. Some wanted to eat the heart; others insisted the intestines would enhance their digestive system. Ryuto, frozen with terror, lay limp in IA's arms but found no comfort in her warmth. She tried getting them to stop, but nothing helped. Vicious fights broke out; little girls shrieked and violently pulled each others' hair from their scalps. Hollering boys clawed and punched each other, biting wherever they saw skin. Black liquid, from open wounds, splattered the walls and their clothes.

_Monsters...!_

Eyes wide, Ryuto desperately tried swallowing the sobs threatening to erupt. He tried staying firm, but he wasn't the tough, firm GachapoidR3000 anymore. Right now he was Ryuto: the littlest of all rejects. Ryuto, the sweet boy who dreamed of becoming a dinosaur so he could gnash Crypton to bits. Most of all, he was trying not to this monstrous sight.

"ENOUGH ALL OF YOU!" It was the oldest boy, Oliver, who barked furiously over the catastrophe. Shoving the little ones apart and viciously slapping their faces, his towering prescence quickly stopped all fighting. Few started crying, but he shut them up by remarking calmly. "I'll decide who gets what. In the meantine, save your energy! We'll need it when February comes."

February?

"Crypton products are arrogant! PUPS WHO CAN'T TELL LEFT FROM RIGHT," he snarled viciously and flapped his one wing ferociously. "Brothers and sisters: If it weren't for Mikuo, we'd still be groveling at their dirty feet! We're the real products!" The children howled their monstrous approval, encouraging him further, "But once we attack, Crypton will wish they hadn't kept us alive. Especially Leon!" Oliver declared triumphantly, his eyes widened with insane mirth. "We'll destroy... we'll destroy anything that gets in our way! LET'S AVENGE MIKI! LET'S FIND HER GLORY! DESTROY EVERYTHING CRYPTON!"

The children, inspired by Oliver's destructive speech, cheered happily as if they were receiving candy. Ring Suzune, smiling, grated her long nails against the glass doors, creating deep scratches. Ryuto suddenly realized what was happening. Their bottled up envy and terror of the company finally erupted into searing hot plumes of poisonous hatred.

These failures were planning to launch an insurrection against Crypton.

Jade eyes widened in further realization. All the pieces of the puzzle were finally assembled. Of course, this all made sense.

Mikuo had manipulated them.

"Then are you going to kill Takashi Rin too?" Everyone stopped cheering and grew eerily silent. Their expressions now unreadable, they stared wordlessly at the scaly boy. Ryuto, despite his grating nerves, continued in a nervous voice, "She... she was the only one... who loved us. All of us."

No one spoke.

"I... I love Rin. I do." he tried, looking around with pleading eyes, "What about the rest of you? Will you destroy her too?" Some looked at each other, still silent. "She smelled nice, always spoke softly, saying kind words... even though she's part of Crypton..." Their silence suffocated him, and he found himself breathless. Shakily, he tried sitting up. "E-even though she's the VOCALOID... the most successful product... and even though she killed Miki..."

IA slowly blinked at his words.

"Would you kill our only friend?"

No one knows how long the silence lasted. For Ryuto, it felt like an eternity. Then one by one, the children began tittering evilly. Ryuto glanced around, even more horrified. A slow grin made its wa

Akikoloid leaned close and banged their heads together. A searing pain ripped through his mind. She tilted her head, wearing Miki's crazed grin. There was nothing remorseful or kind in her eyes.

"Let the dead bury the dead."

* * *

_"You're all my friends, right?"_

_The little girl stared at them hopefully but sadly. To their ears, this was only an ignorant, naive voice and it carried no real hope; it was hardly comforting, honestly. In silent reply, they stared at her behind cages._

* * *

Ryuto's mouth went dry. Tears coursed down his rough face.

"No... no..." he pleaded, desperately looking around for a kind face. For the first time in his life, he wanted help. "NOO!" Many hands reached down towards him, and giggles exploded into full-blown, dark laughter. IA, gasping, tried to protect him. The children only shrieked and yanked her back by the hair, digging filthy fingers into her mouth and drawing razor-sharp nails to her tongue-

A wet slurp was heard, along with a short wail.

IA was thrown to the floor, now ignored. With shaking hands, she clutched her bleeding mouth, disbelieving. Meters away, one of her sisters greedily consuming something. IA wordlessly shrank to a safe corner, unable to look away as her 'siblings' began doing horrible things to Ryuto. They promised him gifts and candy, stroking his matted hair. They also murmured something about 'fixing' him. They promised to give him cake, teddy bears, and a majestic feast. They assured him they'd take him to a wonderful place where they could play forever.

IA covered her ears, becoming rigid each time she heard him scream, facing the wall.

_'He'll be okay,'_ IA told herself while shutting her eyes. Sweat shone on her hot, flushed face as she desperately tried to block out his pained begging by covering her ears, _'You'll be fine, Ryuto. The pain won't last. The pain won't last...'_ Her sentence broke off with a pained whimper as she helplessly attempted to speak. Even as she thought reassuring words, she wasn't sure who she was trying to convince: Ryuto or herself.

Ryuto's sobbing screams would forever haunt her head.

* * *

**A/N: **Rin sure cries a lot in this chapter... huh.

By the way, yes, I'm alive.


	23. Connect

**A/N:** Merry Christmas... :D I'm so tired. This is my gift from me to all of you: 40,000 words worth of fan service. Hope you enjoy. Looking back, I realize I had a lot of reckless youth when I started writing P:V. My grammar was terrible, but I had so much going for me with my driven passions on writing... yeah. I guess every FF writer starts out like that.

I feel old.

This is what it must feel like to look back on your past stories. "Passion" and whatnot is something I wish I had again... By the way, happy third anniversary, P:V! :D

Ah, well.

Okay, guys. I haven't read the actual "story of evil" novel, but in this story's case, we're not going for the exact storyline. I herby disclaim mothy's gorgeous piece of afajdflkj. It's so holy that it can't even be called earthly. Anyway, yeah... I'm really excited the big production later on. :D

Check out another new doujinshi series for P:V; by himeka1010. (www . vocaloidprjt . blogspot . com)

By the way, I've fallen in love with Madoka Magica.

／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼- "Hey you. Yes, you. Hit favorite, and make a contract with me!"

* * *

_**Berlin, Germany**_

_**Takashi HQ; Purgatory**_

1:02 AM

**General POV**

Each crack of the whip was followed with a ear-piercing scream. The odious blood and steel walls only added to the suffocation of the room as a heavy lash met with scarred skin, evoking another yelp. Dangling, barely clothed, and wrists cuffed, Lily hung upside from the ceiling, forced to endure the strikes inflicting on her bare foot. The lack of blood circulation caused her dizziness, and her swollen tongue was further proof of her suffering. Blood protruded obscenely from her gaping wounds. Sheening sweat layered above her scarred forehead, and she bitterly clenched her teeth to block out the pain. Disoriented and barely moving, she looked barely conscious to others.

This was not the case.

_SHLICCKKKK!_

"A-AAAAAAGGH!"

Her back, marred from ancient wounds, now displayed a horrendous collection of scars and ripped flesh. Her tender skin became blistered and red, shining under the bright lights. The cooling vendors rumbled below, keeping the products below cool as they witnessed her punishment. To Lily's ears, the vendors sounded like angry grumbling accompanied with unwanted spectators.

The bandages swaddling her thighs collapsed to the floor, revealing the stub in its oozing state.

Each blow to her one foot caused something to pop, making her entire body wrench in agony. Lily panted weakly, no longer fighting against the binds. Her vision was slowly starting to darken, and her head throbbed painfully. Just as she was about to lose herself to sleep, the chain jerked and descended. Her eyes met her father's, whose intimidating stare clearly mocked her predicament.

"Hacking and stealing my own products for your own benefits was a good idea, Lily. You're awfully smart," The CEO smilingly said, eyes dropping to the capsule in his hands, playing with it with utmost tenderness. He then frowned, glancing back at the bound woman hanging upside down, "but you're impulsive as always. Those units you stole were only for design: cheaply made models for the current versions."

Lily's eyes widened in disbelief as she clenched her fists. Her chest swelled with self-hatred and humiliation at her mistakes, and she swallowed the hard lump in her throat.

"Trial models are no match with the updated serials," Leon pulled on gloves, his fingers stretching the nitrile material. With a sharp look to the side, he jammed a vaccine into her bicep and injected its contents, evoking a choked gasp of surprise from the girl. Slowly, her face began to take on a green color, and her eyes watered. Her entire body went limp as she began to lose consciousness.

"What... urgghh..." Lily moaned, struggling to stay awake. If she fell asleep now, then this man would probably send her into the labs as a test subject; the last thing she wanted was to end up looking like a mutant with stiches all over her body. Her eyelids drooped as she clenched her teeth, "Go... to h-! ARGH!" A sudden pain ripped through her nerves, causing her to jerk back violently. She belted out a wordless cry as her throat practically burst into flames. Pain spread through her vocal chords like a wildfire, and even uttering a single syllable became torture. "AGH! KGH! RRGH?!" Her eyes widened in panic and confusion as she looked at her calm father.

What the hell had he given her?!

"Did you really think you could compete with the VOCALOID, let alone destroy the top product that I spent seven years perfecting?" Leon seethed, relishing her struggle with greedy eyes, "You've betrayed me for the last time. The injection I gave you will shut off the parts that allow your legs mobility. You'll never be able to run away again." He watched as she threw her head back as her muscles contracted mercilessly. Feeling strangely generous, he suddenly smirked, "But if you beg for my forgiveness, then I'll lighten your punishment. How does that sound?"

"R...Rea..lly?" Her voice was so strained she could hardly speak; the pain was so intense that it brought her to tears. She glared and sweated, shuddering as prickles stabbed into her nerves like needles. Her hazy expression of anguish couldn't even describe how unbearable this filthy pain was. Yet even after her failures, even after the way she suffered to this point, she still regretted nothing.

"Why not? 'Please forgive me, Takashi Leon. I am but your bootlicking dog." he said, his smirk growing wider, "Just say those words, and I'll let you sleep." Lily's chains clinked under the light's glare. One by one, the scientists left the site, disinterested and discussing notes for the upcoming project. They muttered in German and paid no more attention to the scene.

Lily gave a stern stare, appearing to think deeply on the subject, "I'll..." she gasped out, brows harshly indented, "I'll never... for-... forgive... you." Leon's smile instantly vanished, and a dull expression replaced his face. This girl was so predictable.

"For what? Teaching you a lesson? Humiliating you in front of our peers? Reducing you to a cripple?"

"N...No..." Lily managed, her cheeks reddening and her chest heaving with tremendous effort. Her answer piqued Leon's interest, and he strained to hear as she drew her last breath, "I won't... forgive you... for defiling... Mother's... garden!" Though her eyes had supposedly been forced into a muddled condition, they looked strong for instant. However, it was only for an instant.

Lily had used up the last of her angry resistance to say those words. In her dim consciousness, she had even bitten her own tongue just to stay alert... just so she could say those words until the very end.

"I take it you've already seen the reactor," Leon chuckled, clasping his hands beneath his chin, "So you haven't completely wasted your time while you were in Japan, I see." He smiled and then turned his head away, allowing the clean-up crew to disentangle his adoptive daughter from the binds and carry her off into the infirmary. Strolling past the doors, each step he took lit up the corridors, and his top scientists soon joined him.

_"Takashi, mein herr?"_ Harkinian spoke quietly, waiting until Leon grunted in reply, _"Die japanische Regierung ist sich bewusst, Ihre aktuellen Aktivitäten. Glücklicherweise haben sie nicht in der Lage, um Ihre Position zu verfolgen, nachdem Lily zurückgegeben. Das Defoko Mädchen ist nützlich, nachdem alle."_ A smile graced the CEO's lips as he arrogantly strode past the welding factory, paying no mind to the explosions or German cursing. He'd put the damage on their tabs.

("Takashi, my sir?) ("The Japanese government is aware of your recent activity... Fortunately they haven't been able to track your position after Lily returned.")

("That Defoko girl is useful after all.")

_"Natürlich. Teleportation ist ihre Fähigkeit und unser Hauptvorteil."_ Leon smoothly replied, placing his hands behind his back. They started down a stairwell with scientists following their trail. "_**P**article Reaktoren ermöglichen eine schnelle Reise für uns. Trotz seiner Schwierigkeiten, haben wir es geschafft, den Transport von Materie mehr als hundert mal manipulieren den letzten zwanzig Jahren."_

("Naturally. Teleportation is her ability and our main advantage.")

("**P**article reactors enable fast travel for us. Despite its difficulties, we've managed to manipulate the transportation of matter more than a hundred times these past twenty years.")

Curiosity ebbed into Harkinian's primitive mind. Resisting the hissing voice within his head, he moved the cigar to the side of his mouth to speak, mumbling and rubbing his hands nervously, _"U-Und die GPT-Maschine?"_ Sweat broke out on his brow as the blond man suddenly stopped. Curse it all. He shouldn't have reminded Leon about the only thing that allowed that damned brat to escape. Rough memories were resurfacing, and the air grew suddenly cold.

("And what of the GPT machine?")

Leon's smile was positively ominous. The way he spoke so calmly in Japanese set the burly man on edge. "A good question, my brown-nosed friend. Because of its constant malfunctions, the GPT only works 15% of the time. Luck must've been smiling on my beloved and cute daughter; otherwise, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Now, unless you don't want me to dump your ass alongside my wife, keep that running mouth of yours shut."

The brute mercenary immediately did as he was told, huffing nervously and kept his head down. It was strange to see him so clean cut and tidy today. Lately, Takashi Leon had reguarly adopted a more unkempt and frugal outlook due to his daughter's escape. To see him shaved and dressed in pressed clothes was almost alien to Harkinian. Even his shoes shone like diamonds.

They entered the conference room where head scientists and sponsors waited, calmly looking up from the chrome table. With cold eyes, they watched the blond CEO take his seat, which stood at the very head of the curved table. Metallic polygons, about the size of golf balls, were toyed in their hands, humming from its vibration.

"As you can see, the graviton formula we've developed can be produced within in a high range of containers, notably, metalloids." Leon announced, bringing up a holographic model of Crypton's latest products. "I'm impressed. The matter has been finely arranged, and the damage resistence has increased. Thanks to the necessary supplies and money provided, we've succeeded in advancing our explosives." With a bright smile towards his peers, he winningly nodded, "This will certainly hit the underground economy, everyone. Paid vacations and raises are on me."

Murmurs of approval reverberated throughout the room, causing Leon's smile to widen. Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes and clasped his hands. The adults suddenly spoke up, asking him about the recent even in Tokyo. Thousands of dollars worth of damage had piled up; a good fraction of their air force had been depleted, and it seemed Project Rin wasn't going to make the flight on February. Insecurities regrew in the men's hearts, and they suddenly started questioning the CEO's motives.

"As for Hatsune Mikuo," One of the chief scientists cleared his throat, "How can you ensure his loyalty? That boy has bad blood."

"What should we do about Dell? If he were to ignore our exchange when February comes, what we will do then?" Another asked.

"Moreover, how will we hurry along Project Rin's progression?"

More questions came to life, and Leon frowned. There just was no way to please these nervous subordinates. He raised a hand to quiet their incessant chatter, and he was rewarded with silence.

"Gentlemen, please," he chuckled smoothly, "These matters are just mere annoyances, perfectly harmless, in fact. I've thought everything through; but, if you feel the need to make suggestions, there's no one stopping you. Please speak your minds with ease, but rationally consider the successes I've coordinated so far." A secretary brought everyone glasses of red wine, and she hesitated while serving Leon. She kept space between them at arm's length and kept her eyes averted, the corner of her mouth trembling slightly. With a smile, he played with the glass in his hand, "I'll answer frequently asked questions: Firstly, controlling Mikuo won't be a problem; none of my products are foolish enough to trust him, and they report his activity to me. He's doing his job."

Low murmurs of approval filled the room.

"And I doubt Dell has the nerve to bring a war to his home, knowing we have a booked history on him. He knows this for sure," Leon's eyes darkened as he glared at the drink in his hand, "No one refuses me without penalty."

"We cannot fully operate the reactor without Project Rin," One of the oldest members spoke up, leaning over the table and clasping his grisly hands, ignoring the refreshment altogether, "We're not supporting your motives unless you remove her heart. As long as she retains an individual mind, she will be harder to control. Right now, Project Rin truly believes she can coexist as human and project alike, though she ultimately prefers to stay human." Everyone's heads turned to the man, and Leon continued listening while resting his chin on the back of his hand. "I mean no disrespect, Takashi. You've left us nothing but good impressions, but your predecessors' failures have greatly sapped our expenses." The chairs creaked under the weight of the nervous men.

Leon merely nodded in understanding, "Yes, Chairman. You're only being careful."

"The Takashi household has greatly disappointed me in the past, costing millions of dollars down the drain," Chairman grumbled, crinkling his brows, "But Project Rin is a formidable force that any society can use to empower themselves. Your country knew you wouldn't hand her over so easily, and they discharged Project: VOCALOID altogether. But you had bigger plans for this girl all along, didn't you?"

All eyes turned to the blond CEO, who kept an unreadable expression the entire time while listening. He then leaned back against his chair and fixed his tie.

"Years ago, there was one thing I discovered after transferring my family reactor to Japan. The reactor holds a highly reactive element that becomes more powerful when organic substances are melted down within it, in other words, human bodies. It will eventually self-sustain after gathering enough material, and from then on, we can use the element to our advantage: creating weapons, medicines, energy will broaden our technological achievements." Leon sighed as he recounted how much everyone stressed while importing the bubbling reactor under Japan borderlines. "Project Rin is a necessity because upon combining her body with the element, she can become the most powerful force in the world."

"Perhaps even more powerful than...?"

"The greatest achievement of all," Leon cut in, smirking, "is overriding the limits of human ability. Creating a force that opposes the laws of nature would make every human on earth tremble to their knees, even the government dogs themselves." Leon suddenly stood to his feet and extended his arms, appearing intimidatingly powerful, "And it would make us the most powerful men in the world."

Everyone went silent as a projector came rolling in. The lights dimmed as footage of the VOCALOID during the train incident replayed, ripped from the main computer. Scenes dropped on the meddling teenagers trying to interfere with her transformation, notably the blond boy, the teal agent, and the brunette girl.

"Kids are so stupid these days." One man murmured as he watched the brunette run with Rin on her back.

"That red-haired girl... she's interesting, alright." A female scientist chuckled as she watched the crazy plumber infiltrate the main aircraft and hack the system.

Leon stood beside the 120' flatscreen, pointing out the details. "They may not look much, but they'll cause trouble more than they're worth." He told his superiors, a look of disdain crossing his features, "The easiest way to get rid of them would be killing them, but since that teal girl is with them, things might get complicated if the government gets involved again." He frowned, eyes narrowing once he saw the blond boy known as "Len" calm the VOCALOID into submission.

This wouldn't be good for promotion.

Leon sighed before operating the remote again. A pedestal rose before him, revealing a capsule of the bubbling element from the Takashi reactor. He took out a syringe and extracted its contents. "Take a vote everyone. All in favor of testing the new drug on these children, please raise your hands." Grumbles rumbled throughout the conference, and the people wasted no time voting.

All hands went up. Raising an amused brow, Leon scanned his surroundings before chuckling.

"I'll have Haku make the arrangements."

* * *

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_**Project: VOCALOID**_

Chapter 23

_Connect_

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* * *

_**Tokyo, Japan**_

3:03 PM

**Meiko's POV**

_"I was so, so stupid..." __A dreading feeling built up in the pit of my stomach as I finally glanced over, using all my strength to just turn my head. I met Kaito's dead but guilty-ridden eyes. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. For years I've prepared for this moment, but now, everything just felt so surreal. I never imagined my confession would be like this. He grinned sadly, his lips trembling with uncontained bitterness and self-hatred. "You'll always be my number one girl, y'know? I do love you, Meiko..., but not like..." His voice trailed off as his face suddenly grew tense. He looked away._

_A pin dropped._

_"I'm sorry."_

_There was a long silence before I finally replied._

_"... It's okay, Kaito. I know." My voice went strangely soft, and I was vaguely reminded of Rin, who often spoke so quietly. I stared deep into Kaito's pain-filled eyes as he attempted to laugh. He painfully looked up to the ceiling, his face contorting into another aching grin. I couldn't help myself. "I'll love you no matter what. I'll always love you."_

_His laughter sounded like strangled noises; it was as if he were choking. My heart broke when he spoke again, his words were like millions of knives stabbing my heart._

_"Stop that. Never say that again."_

Translation: I never saw you more than a sister.

Well, God, Kaito. You could've at least said that instead...

The bus rattled as everyone around me roared in boisterous laughter, slapping and pushing each other into seats. Stupid jokes were exchanged as we rolled over another bump, causing everything to bounce again. Students kept shouting at the top of their lungs, trying to outdo each other as they belted popular love songs as if the place were a karaoke joint instead of a public transport.

**"A slender flame burns at the edge of my heart **

**Without warning, it spreads into a burning passion!"**

Annoyed, I tried to ignore them, looking out the window. It was snowing again, and the sky had grown cloudy.

**"... I'm wrapped around your finger, from lips to tongue!**

**Even if this is something that cannot be allowed, the flames jump higher still!"**

By now, everyone was laughing and singing, clapping their hands to the beat. Some of my classmates even went as far as serenading each other, melodramatically grabbing each other's hands and looking deep into each other's eyes.

**"I want to embrace you~! I want you to tell me that you don't think this is a mistake!"**

My eyes burned as I tried not to think of Kaito, biting my lip and sniffling as I looked up. I'm not going to cry... I'm won't cry after all this time of holding back... not because of some stupid love song like Magnet!

Despite myself, I threw my head back against the back of the chair and sang along in a soft voice.

**"I want you to kiss me, and I want you to remake me...**

**I want to drown in this moment of captivation...!"**

Some broke down into fits of laughter, high-fiving each other and bundling up. Others simply rolled their eyes and went back to whatever they were doing. Right now, I was boiling mad. How can they joke about a song like this? It wasn't funny. Two lovers are voicing their angst because their love will never be accepted, but even so, their passion each other is so strong that they would defy and throw everything away just to be together again.

A love that tears people apart... isn't anything to joke about.

"BWAHAHA THAT WAS GOOD, SHINICHI!"

"Ara? You think so? Ehehe."

Today, I hate everyone. Goddammit.

I resisted the urge to throw my boot at them and forced myself to slunk against my chair, blowing my bangs out of my eyes. I can't say I didn't see the rejection coming, but it still hurt to think about. I haven't talked to Kaito since then, and it's a good thing too. Once the train fiasco was out of the way, the rest of us had to go back to school.

Sick of everyone's noisy chatter, I booted up my MP3 player and jammed out.

I guess I already knew, but I just never wanted to admit my worst fears. It went unsaid, but to be honest, the truth was never far from my mind.

Kaito didn't feel the same towards me.

But that wasn't the worst of what happened.

I'd seen my life flash before my eyes three times. Now, that was a new record. I hadn't been through that much excitement since middle school, but I tell you, nothing beat the robots or those Crypton crazies. Ha. I actually had nightmares about that day, believe it or not. It was a real pain in the ass, considering I had to pull through semester finals those past four weeks.

Somehow, it felt alienating having to go back to school life after what happened. Rin's breaking point, the train wreck, and Miku announcing her identity as some versatile voyeur working behind government lines. And then, revealing that Mikuo was actually her dead brother?

I craned my neck against the window, groaning.

My head hurts.

A sharp whistle shattered my eardrums, directing everyone's attention to the front of the bus. I unplugged my earphones as Ms. Haku kept yelling, "Everyone! We'll be arriving at Crane Hotel soon! Don't forget the rooms we've already booked for you, and please walk up to the front desk for your room keys!" Sighing, I collected my things and waited until we arrived.

Winter break had finally arrived, and school wouldn't be going on until after Christmas. It was great and all, considering all the effort I put in to finish those annoying projects. Still, Ms. Haku kept reminding the cast to pack up for the outing. Everyone would be booking rooms in a classy hotel, and we had all the time to stay there because it was near the Gyro Concert Hall, the place where we would be performing pretty soon. Everyone worked themselves to the bone these past few months. All that script and memorization... and all those rehearsals had finally come to this.

In three weeks, we were going to present the "Story of Evil" live in Tokyo.

"Teto... Teto?"

"...Heh." Drool dribbled down her chin as she suddenly grinned, her cheeks flushed. Whimpers and gasps escaped her as she sensually arched her back. My jaw dropped open. What on Earth...? She then started squirming, "Oooh~, not there!" She suddenly arched her back, giggling flirtatiously, "Ted-kun~! Too rough~!" She kept moaning while snuggling deeper into the crook of her seat, throwing herself in my arms. I shuddered at this awkward display, hesitantly eying as our classmates eyed my junior in sheer disgust and shock. Their eyes then fell on me, and whispered echoed in the bus.

My face exploded into heat. I saw red, tensing when whispers intensifed me. I grabbed hold of Teto's shoulders and shook her as hard as I could, "WAKE UP, YOU CLOSET PERVERT!"

"AAGH!" The said redhead woke up with a start, almost flying out of her seat as the comic she used as a sleep mask went tumbling to the floor. She immediately posed dramatically, her eyes wide and yelled, "BURN HER! BURN THAT WITCH!" Embarrassed, I gritted my teeth and crossed my arms. I tried to ignore everyone's laughter on the bus.

"What are you rambling on about? The ride's over."

Teto blinked multiple times before rubbing her eyes, "Wha... oh, really? Okay..." She yawned and stretched her arms before collecting her bags. Everyone got off the bus and into the snow storm. We practically raced to get out of the cold, some pelted snowballs at each other along the way.

Crane Hotel was a hot place to crash. It was a three story building with beautiful blue gradients painting the outside walls. The furniture was velvet red, and there was expensive carpet covering from head to toe. Elegant stairways winded up to the different floors, and the hallways were brightly lit with chandeliers and oil paintings. Not to mention the food looked pretty good.

Teto and I were lucky. Our room was on the lower floors so we didn't have to walk too far with our heavy luggage. We exclaimed and marveled over our awesome room: there was a 20'' flat screen, video games, a mini fridge stuffed with our guilty pleasures, and heck, we even got water beds!

'Course, we had to put our stuff away and head right back to the entrance so we could head to the Gyro Concert Hall. Y'know, those large stadiums where concerts took place. That's where our play will take place. We practically threw our luggage in the closet before zipping down to meet up with the rest. Everyone was already there, bundled up like abominable snowmen. Once roll call was done, we all walked downtown.

Teto sighed, pulling her thick jacket closer to her body, "I feel like a lot of us are missing today. Luka won't be here until later 'cause she's got stupid lessons. Kaito is already working at the concert hall, who knew. Kagamine-kun's at the hospital 'cause of his injuries. Hatsune is..." she awkwardly glanced at me, "Well, she's doing whatever spies do..."

I grumbled.

"And Rin..." I glanced at her, noticing how teary her eyes suddenly became, "Dear God, I miss that loli."

I shrugged, adjusting my earmuffs, "I talked to those NND guys the other day. All I know is that Dell and his coup are trying to correct her behavior, biologically, that is. Apparently, she's being hidden from the media." Man, it was gonna be a while until I see her again. Kicking a can out of my way, I jogged past carolers and jingling bells. Teto hooked an arm around mine to catch up.

"Haha, it's been so crazy. Four dead on the train incident. It's all over the news." Teto breathed before dropping her voice to a whisper, "You know... I really thought we were going to die out there. Luka's still shaken, but she's trying not to show it. That day, we had a hard time convincing my parents that we were caught up in a blackout surrounded by a mall stampede." She tittered, shaking her head, "I can't believe it. I'm alive... you're alive. We're all alive."

My eyes softened as I realized she was shaking. In attempt to comfort her, I secured our arm embrace, "Yeah, and we're okay." Wincing as people pushed and shoved past me on the way to the doors, I quickly shouldered my costume bag and pulled Teto into the building, feeling the warm temperature heal my body of aches and frostbite.

Another day in my life goes by...

* * *

The stage lights dimmed, creating a heavy atmosphere as my chain boots clunked against the grass layout. With a firm mindset, I approached the kneeling prince, hunching over a freshly dug grave. His head bowed in reverence, the blue royalty painstakingly showered the pit with flowers. I closed my eyes and asked in my most determined voice.

"Are you ready?"

"My heart stills..." He laughed shakily, covering his eyes with his dirty hand, "I've waited for this day since... since my beloved's death. Yet I cannot help wondering if we should really go through with this? Is this what she really wishes? To burn that monstrous yellow country to ruins?"

I narrowed my eyes, glaring down at him like I practiced. Right now, the mist was slowly clearing, revealing our lithe forms on the stage.

"She can't taste vengeance... what good will it do even if I bring her the head of that hell spawn of a princess?!" The prince got to his feet, throwing his capes around and desperately clenching his fists, eyes tearing up, "IT WON'T BRING HER BACK INTO MY ARMS! IT WOULDN'T MATTER IF WE JUSTIFIED A THOUSAND EVIL COUNTRIES! IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT SHE DIED BECAUSE OF EVIL! THE EVIL THAT SPURNS US INTO A DEMOLISHING END TO MANKIND! THE EVIL THAT WILL CONTINUE EXISTING NO MATTER WHAT! SHE DIED FOR THE SAKE OF MANKIND?! WHAT LIES!"

Our audience was immensely silent, reveling in the well-practiced angst in Kaito's voice, one that wasn't entirely fake. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Ms. Haku smiling strangely as she watched Kaito unsheathe his sword with an anguished cry.

"I say... I SAY GOD IS DEAD!"

Teto remained on the side on the stage, everything darkening except for her spot. She looked seriously at the audience, clutching the microphone against her thick rose corset, "In his anguish, the young man had been reduced to a little boy. This was not the first time a woman has left him, no less in a tragic way. The memories flooded back into his mind, convincing him that history has repeated itself again." She closed her eyes, turning her back to us, "Aye, his mother had left him at a very young age, leaving him to the throne and awaiting expectations at the age of nine."

Whispers of praise directed towards Kaito's performance. He stood in front of me with a grieving look, but it was hard for me to tell what he was thinking. Just as Teto ended her sentence, I thought I saw a look of real pain cross his eyes. The way he trembled... he wasn't entirely pretending.

"Every scrap of my sanity is boiling for her blood! That girl's blood!" he cried, "I want her dead,' my mind screams. 'She is only but a little girl!' my heart screams. I cannot choose between life or death! She was bewitched, but everything ended in tragedy because her!" He staggered forward, grabbing my by the shoulders and shaking me, "If you had the power to go back in time, would you have killed her to save your father?! TO PREVENT THIS?" I allowed myself to flinch and pretended to look disheartened, "TELL ME! TELL ME RIGHT NOW!"

I reared back and struck him across the face. Not hard enough to hurt him, of course, but we both made it look realistic as possible. Kaito pretended to stagger back, clutching his cheek. I took a deep breath, firmly staring at him. Right now, I am Germaine. I am the Red swordswoman sworn to protect Lucifenia. My father has been publicly executed in order to be made "an example of" if someone were to defy the Yellow monarchy.

"Nothing could've been done to save them. We have no such power." I barked, slamming my foot against a headstone. "In a worse case scenario, we could've all died in the beginning. You rounding up your troops with our militia was the best thing that ever happened for Lucifenia! Here you are, sniveling like a dog! Think about the other sacrifices people made to get this far!" I shouted, turning on him with my sword drawn, "And now, at the worst possible moment, you intend to waste those sacrifices by running from the battlefield?!" My eyes went ablaze, and I forced my face into a furious expression, "Remember that day when you found Michaela's body floating in bloody water."

Kaito's face tightened, and he glared up at me, eyes dimming, "Stop..." But I continued talking about Michaela's death. Just like in the script, I did everything to rouse the prince's anger once more. I coldly spoke, delivering his mind into a tremulous state of wrath. There was no room for pity here.

I glowered down at him, pointing my blade at his chest. "If you plan on abandoning us, then I'll end your pain right here. But tell me: will you dishonor Michaela's sacrifice by running away?"

That certainly snapped him back into action.

"Don't talk about honor as if you're familiar with it, Mercenary," The Prince snapped, flinging my sword away with his in a matter of seconds. Walking a little past the tombstones that honored the Yellow rebels, he looked up into the starry night. "Michaela... I couldn't save you; I told you lies, thinking we could actually bring peace to this era. There's nothing left for me... except to fall prey to my own evil. Forgive me."

In the shadows, I saw Teto shooting us a 'good-job' pose.

I remained silent, acknowledging his change in heart, "Will these hands be stained with child's blood then?" A dark chuckle erupted as he brandished his sword, "SO BE IT! THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO DESPAIR! SHOULD I WEEP I WILL WEEP FOR THIS CORRUPTION!" The drums rolled, climaxing until the stage curtains fell, ending the scene.

"And... CUT!" The lights came back on, along with boisterous cheering from our cast. Most of our classmates wildly whooped from their seats, and some of them came up to hug me. Ms. Haku started clapping her hands, shooing the backstage crew into action. She barked at us to pay attention.

"LISTEN UP! We're gonna need the Kagamines for the riot scene if we're gonna continue. Which, unfortunately, won't be today due to their absence on short notice." The drama club leader sounded more than pissed. Boy, Len and Rin were gonna be in a world of trouble. "In the meantime, actors! Head into the commons and continue your character seminars!" Her eyes burned into the audience below, causing them to shiver, "I will make your lives miserable if you put on a pathetic performance! We have less than three weeks to get everything done! Pull yourselves together and bring honor to Seija Academy!"

Ms. Haku laughed, "Please do, everyone."

Audible groans and complaints echoed through the concert hall, further heightening the stage manager's temper. Ms. Haku, on the other hand, laughed. A hush befell the students as Momoko slammed the megaphone against the palm of her hand, gritting her teeth.

"Don't make me get Hatsune-kun."

"Oh, mighty Momoko!" Some stupid backstage boy dramatically threw his feet in reverence, making his friends laugh.

Rolling her eyes, Ms. Haku chuckled, "Now, then. Let's practice the scene renovations, okay? We gotta make good time, people! Good time!" She snapped her fingers, and everyone was instantly at her command. As she shouted instructions to the light techs above, everyone piled out of the doors.

"You were amazing, Meiko!"

"Like, totally. You make a badass babe."

I tried to smile, shaking my head as I allowed myself to get carried away. Looking back, I saw Kaito being surrounded by his own friends. My smile faded as we parted, keeping my head up. He suddenly looked at me, and my eyes widened. I hastily looked away. Because of the awkwardness, I couldn't bring myself to even look him in the eye anymore. I hated it. It's been weeks since we talked, but I can't even face him after all this time.

I thought we could be friends... but...

"Hahaha! So, I was like, 'that guy's a tampon', y'know?" Kaito guffawed along with his friends. Without a word, I picked up my sword and headed backstage. I looked angrily at my feet as I walked.

Kaito, you idiot.

* * *

Gyro Concert Hall... ha. These place is full of memories.

I met my juniors at the stairwell, and we immediately starting taking out notebooks.

These dumb seminars are for actors who don't know their own characters. If you're up onstage while presenting a bland performance, it wouldn't even matter how well you memorized your lines. Putting yourself in your character's shoes is what delivers a hard impact to your audience.

Akita, Gumi, and Sonika greeted me and Teto once we met up on the stairs. They gave us snacks from the machine nearby, and we started having a mini picnic. Surprisingly, we were well-received, save for Akita's snooty comments.

"Meiko-senpai did well for an amateur. In fact, you were almost as good as me. Though I am not one of the main leads, I shall make this play a great performance using my superior acting skills!" Akita bragged, her chest swelling with pride, "Since I was a child, I've always performed for my maids and butlers. They loved my singing and skits. Ah, all those lessons I took were worth the effort! I am a shining star, after all." Teto and I exchanged funny looks.

Gumi munched on a carrot before sighing heavily, leaning in and whispering to us, "But Neru-sama doesn't know that her father always paid the cast to watch and praise her performances." Teto raised a brow at this, chomping down on her long breadstick.

Munching between bites, she asked, "Does that mean her acting is bad?"

Sonika reddened, threateningly pointing at Teto with her spoon, "W-Who are you to say such things, Kasane? Demeaning Neru-sama like that?" She made sure to keep her voice down, and Akita apparently didn't notice, for she was too caught up in her gloating. I stared blankly ahead, sighing.

Akita suddenly stopped bragging, "Ah, that's right..." She turned to Teto, raising a brow, "Your acting looked a less stupid than usual. Were you even into it?" Instead of snapping back like Teto usually would, she grinned (which looked fake) and looked away.

"My bad. I'll do better next time."

Akita, Gumi, and Sonika stared at Teto before exchanging suspicious looks. I ignored their glances sent to me and stayed quiet. With a sigh, I tossed my soup can back in my lunch box.

"What's with you guys?" Sonika asked, crinkling her nose, "You haven't been acting like idiots lately. I-It's weird... don't get the wrong idea though! You're freaking us out."

"If there's anything you want to say, you can tell us." Gumi scooted towards us, looking sincerely worried. I tried to smile, shaking my head. Did we look that obvious?

"Don't worry."

Meanwhile... when are the other students gonna show up? I'm getting really tired of waiting.

"Um... excuse me, girls?"

We all looked up.

A boy, looking no older than Teto or Rin, stood before us, awkwardly clearing his throat. He was pretty small in stature, being skinny. His hair was stark white, and his eyes were unusually bi-colored: one was green while the other was blue. He looked unusually pretty for a guy... reminding me of Len. Still, he had a lighter skin tone, and the fact he wore skinny jeans (which somehow appeals to girls, God knows why) only enhanced the fact he was trying to make a good impression.

Yeah, it wasn't working.

Who in the right mind would even look at him twi-

Eh?

My eye twitched when I saw love-struck looks on Akita's, Sonika's, and Gumi's faces. They immediately straightened, fixing their hair and clothes while openly staring at the albino. Weirdly enough, even Teto looked like she was struggling to contain her fidgeting, and a pinkness flooded her cheeks. I inwardly groaned, burying my face in my hands.

"I-I'd like to know if any of you have seen Rin-chan." The albino spoke nervously, averting his eyes and rocking on his feet. Noticing the girls' oogling, he looked extremely uncomfortable with all their eyes on him. He tugged at his shirt collar, and he coughed nervously, "S-sorry, I must be bothering you guys. I'll just go now."

"Hold it right there!" Akita immediately got to her feet and promptly flounced up to the confused boy. She smiled at him flirtatiously, eying him up and down, "Where do you think you're going, Handsome? Maybe if you tell us your name, then we might help you." She tilted her head, purposely allowing her side-tail to swing over her shoulder, "What do you say?"

The albino stared, "Akita-san, are you feeling alright today?"

Akita mockingly rolled her eyes, "Oh! Of course I'm feeling just marvel-" She blinked, "...how do you know my name?" Her catlike eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Have we met?"

"What... oh," The albino blinked several times before sighing. He nodded as if he understood the problem. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pair of cracked glasses and put them on. We immediately gaped in recognition.

"UTATANE?!" Teto all but shrieked, pointing a finger at him. Her eyes were wide, and she looked like she saw a ghost.

Utatane... Piko?!

Whoa... he actually looked good in pullover sweatshirts.

Akita stammered, "H-How...? Why?" She shook her head multiple times before crossing her arms, "Since when were you actually good-looking?!" Unbelievable. Her rudeness was always such a turn-off, but then again, she stole the words right out of my mouth. I felt the same way. This boy, dressed in urban clothes, is Rin's nerdy self-proclaimed boyfriend?

Utatane looked put off by Akita's words, nevertheless, he replied, "I'm wearing contacts since my glasses broke." He sighed heavily, a small blush sprouting his cheeks, "I-It's really embarrassing. I wasn't looking where I was going after my date with Rin-chan, and I tripped."

"What's with your clothes?" Sonika asked, ardently raising a brow, "Trying to make a new fashion statement? Or maybe you're looking to get popular?"

Utatane's eyes widened, and he defensively threw his hands up. "What? Th-That's not it!" He lowered his gaze, "I just thought maybe I should start dressing differently! I mean, as a Rin-chan's boyfriend, I think I should start becoming more confident. I read an online article that dressing like this would boost my confidence," He bit the lower portion of his lip, looking even more embarrassed, "Ugh. These clothes feel kind of tight, and my contacts itch if I forget to take them out at night." He awkwardly pulled at his new outfit. He sighed, removing his glasses, "But if this is the best way to become Rin-chan's ideal man, then I guess I'll just have to bear with it."

I looked over at Teto, who looked grudgingly awed by these words. I, myself, couldn't help feeling touched for Rin's sake. I couldn't help the jealousy swelling in my heart. Goddammit, these boys are ripped off from the shoujo mangas; her love life is a lot more exciting than mine.

This... boy. This boy who used to be bumbling and shy... likes Rin that much to the point where he's willing to change for her?

...

Kaito, you idiot.

"I'll be going then. It was nice talking to all of you," Utatane waved before leaving but not before jotting back, "Oh, that's right. If you happen to see Rin-chan, please tell her I'll be on the third floor with my group. Room 13A." Finally, he left.

"Hmph. To think I actually went for a weirdo like him. I should've known." Akita huffed, hanging off the banister. Rolling her eyes, she threw her hands up and started for the other direction. "This sucks. I'm tired of waiting."

"Hah...?" I rose a brow as her green-haired cousins immediately followed after the rich girl. "What if the students come by?"

Akita snorted, not even turning around, "If you haven't figured it out by now, then you're pretty dense. Everyone's obviously skipping." Sonika and Gumi looked over at us and shrugged, trotting after their ringleader.

So, everyone's playing hooky today. Great.

"What a waste of time." I grumbled, picking up my stuff and about to leave. I noticed Teto was still sitting there, visibly shaking. "Teto?"

"Dammit, I'm so disappointed..." Teto cried, burying her face into her hands. I glanced down at her as she continued weeping. "To think... to think they're not actually twins! GAAAH! THE MAGIC'S GONE!" She openly wailed and threw herself onto the banister, embracing it as she were seeking comfort, "So their romance was never incestuous? This is worse than the time I found out reality isn't like anime... What am I supposed to believe now?..." Shudders wracked her shoulders as she hid her face, her curls bobbing.

The hell...? Is she talking about Rin and Len?

"If we were a movie, tons of Rin and Len shippers would've died right now!" Teto wailed, slamming a fist against the floor, "The blond pairing just lost points, Meiko! Piko's moving up in the world with his makeover! He's gonna take Rin's delicious moe mind! It's over!" Despite she was getting upset over something completely ridiculous, I couldn't help feeling somewhat concerned for her well-being. After all, she really did look upset. In attempt to soothe her rambling notions, I reached out and touched her shoulder.

"Uh, well..." I tried softly, rubbing her back, "Think of it this way: it's good they're not actually related because people might give them more trouble whenever they act lovey-dovey. It'd be too hassling to keep up such a romantic life on both parts." She went strangely silent, and at first, I thought I was able to cheer her up, but the nasty look on her face told me otherwise.

"You don't understand." Teto grumbled, shrugging off my touch, "I can never look at them the same way again. They lied to me, and I supported them. Now, their relationship is normal and boring like any other couple's! Harrumph!" A heavy sigh escaped from her as she finally composed herself, picking up her script and stomping back in line, "Everything I believe in is lies. My life is a lie."

"Do you know what you're saying right now?" I muttered, trying to maintain a straight face. Of all the things to worry about, was this the only thing that was seriously bothering her? She's seriously missing the real issue of Rin being a cyborg. I tried to smile despite myself, "You sound like a hardcore incest shipper."

Teto glanced over her shoulder, "I've raised a new flag." She answered, completely serious. I must've been making a weird face because she suddenly snickered, "What? I just think even as siblings, Rin and Len still would make a hot couple. They're hotter than fire!"

I resisted the need to slap my hand against my forehead in sheer shame.

Dear God.

Just as I was about to retort, something rattled above us, causing me to glance up and nearly fly backwards at who I saw. Hatsune Miku. Luckily, she hadn't seen us. She was heading our way and talking to someone on the phone. She didn't look too happy. In fact, it looked like she was debating with someone. I grabbed Teto by the collar and pulled her into hiding.

"URK?!" Teto glared at me, "_M-Meiko_-what the hell?!"

"Shh!"

"... Look, SeeU. I don't have that kind of money. Either you take it or leave it, otherwise, forget we ever talked about Project Rin." Teto immediately went silent hearing those words, and her eyes widened. She silently looked at me and motioned with her hands, imitating long pigtails. I gritted my teeth, nodding.

I hadn't seen this teal traitor all day. I barely saw her the past few weeks, and I have to say, I'm glad I didn't. Looking at her face makes me want to throw something at her. Here she was, in her glory, standing tall and talking in a stern as if she were in charge of some badass organization. The way she slinked around and kept her voice low, it definitely screamed "fishy".

A light tap on my shoulder brought me back to Earth, and Teto whispered urgently, "Your phone's vibrating. It's from Len." I ignored her, clapping my hand over her mouth to silence her. Right now, the kiddo will have to wait.

Over the phone, incessant chatter blasted through the receiver. It sounded like whoever was on the other line didn't like listening to reason. Miku breathed in, trying to contain herself. She looked deranged, as if she'd been verbally battling since this morning. Inhaling sharply, she explained in a really patient tone.

"Alright... alright. Let's negotiate," Miku answered, rubbing her temple, "If I convince Honne Dell to release her into your hands, along with your ¥205570008 yen, will you reconsider? Ah-ah. I promise there will be no government ties. South Korea and Japan will have nothing to do with each other once this exchange is complete. Your rebell-, I mean, your party will be able to reform a biological weapon as you see fit. Project Rin? Yes, I can send you her files."

(A/N: ¥205570008 = roughly $2 million)

My eyes widened in shock, but I leaned closer to hear better.

"This is a one time offer. I assure you that Project Rin can be controlled so long as she's disciplined. According to what I've heard in the market, you are very good at correctional behavior." Miku smiled wryly, trying to persuade her buyer, "No worries. Convincing Honne shouldn't be a problem, and he'll definitely do whatever it takes to cover his tracks. What I need you to do is promise me two things..." Her teal eyes went dead serious, "First. Insure me you'll be able to safely transport her across country border lines. How reliable is your transportation?... Mm-hm... hmm.. okay." She inhaled, "Secondly, you must sign a pact that you will never, ever use her against Japan, also ensuring of our valid conditions in our contract. Understand?" The conversation rambled on, but it didn't matter now. I've heard enough. Her voice fell deaf on my ears as I reveled in what I just discovered. My hands loosened around Teto's face, allowing her to breathe properly. Still, I couldn't believe what's happening.

Miku... is planning on selling Rin out? To foreigners, no less?

My fists clenched at my sides, shaking. "Gnngh..." I gritted out, a familiar wave of heat washing over me. I glared through the darkness, hatred oozing out of me. As I was about to get up and give that bitch a piece of my mind, Teto held onto my arm. Snapping back at her, I was surprised to see her conflicted expression. She shook her head at me pleadingly.

"Good, I think we're at an agreement." Miku's lips tightened, "Alright. I'm counting on you, SeeU. I'll meet you at the airport soon, and I'll make sure to give you all the details..." Her teal pigtails swished as she gazed out the window. A small gasp of surprise emitted from her as she hurriedly rushed up the stairs, her voice echoing. "I-I'm late for my seminar. We'll talk again..."

Once she was gone, that's when I stomped into the open, breathing heavily and breaking into a sweat. I gritted my teeth again, glaring at the spot where she once stood. Teto walked up silently with her head down. The snow fell in torrents, making our pale reflections look like ice statues.

"God." I audibly grieved, grabbing handfuls of my hair and shaking. Not from fear but anger. I turned to Teto, my voice trembling, "Why is she always doing this? This is the second time she's betrayed someone!" My junior remained silent, her eyes averting. "Teto!" I pleaded, my anger turning into desperation. I couldn't stand this anymore, not knowing what people were thinking since that train incident. Kaito, Len, and Luka... and now, Teto?

"If the South Koreans are getting involved, then what are we supposed to do?" Fear etched across Teto's face as she finally looked up at me. I was taken aback at the strength of her emotions. She must've been suppressing her feelings for a long time now. Her lips trembled as she shook her head, regretfully sighing, "It's not like... we owe Rin anything."

My eyes widened, and I tried to protest, "Teto-" The said girl suddenly grabbed my hands, surprising me. She smiled widely, shaking her head with a laugh.

"C'mon. Let's stop talking about this. This stupid dress is giving me hives, so can we please get changed?" As I was about to answer, I suddenly realized how badly Teto's hands were shaking. I looked down at her trembling fingers leading up to her smile. Her lips trembled slightly, but when I blinked again, she was grinning even wider. "Ehe... C'mon, please?"

I felt my face contorting, and inside, I wrestled with my feelings before finally giving in. Sighing, I reluctantly nodded.

* * *

Once we arrived in the dressing room, we were met with a spectacular sight, and my jaw hit the floor.

"Eeek! Meiko-senpai! Teto?!" The pink-haired beauty quickly hid the eggplant behind her back, squeaking in denial, "I-It's not what it looks like...!"

Teto grinned widely, nodding obscenely while stroking her chin, "Mmm. I knew you were gonna do it." The pink-haired girl screamed in mortification, throwing her hands up as plates of sweets went flying. Everything she made clattered to the floor, along with the eggplant she was holding. Blushing out of her wits, she ran to the nearest wall and promptly started banging her head. A horrified gasp escaped from Teto as she fell to the floor, trying to recollect the fallen food, "NOOO! WHY NOT ME INSTEAD?"

Did I just see... what I thought I saw?

Was Luka really practicing how to kiss the freshman professor... using an _eggplant?_

"Luka, you-?!"

Luka's scream went muffled against the clothes rack, and she rapidly shook her head in denial. "I-I-It wasn't my idea! It's her fault! Everything is her fault!" She pointed directly at the surprised redhead, "N-No... this isn't it." Swallowing, she shakily turned to face us. Red stained her face, coloring to the very tips of her ears as she tried to meet our gazes without collapsing. Jeez. Her knees were wobbling.

My eyes widened. Why is she so upset? I didn't really see this side of her very much, so I didn't know what to do or say...

"T-The truth is..., I-!" Luka swallowed, fisting her skirt as she suddenly looked down. Terror etched her rosy face as she swallowed again. "The truth is that I...-"

"You're doing it wrong, Luka-pants." Teto, having suddenly recovered from her previous despair, blatantly interrupted, not really noticing our glares directed at her. She shook her head, snickering. "You look like you're confessing your undying love to Meiko. Isn't Professor Kamui the one you wanna hitch? If that's the case then-!" Luka frantically shushed her, covering her mouth with her hand and angrily glaring down at her.

"Teto! Not in front of Meiko-senpai!"

Teto's smile didn't reach her eyes, and I could tell she was obviously trying to hide her discomfort. Once her pink-haired cousin desperately looked at me for help, Teto's happy expression fell, and she bitterly looked to the side. Once Luka turned to her again, she quickly smiled again. She kept teasing Luka, not even looking at me.

I breathed deeply, deciding to avoid the previous event for now. Turning to Luka, I asked, "So, you like professor Kamui?" At those words, Luka turned into stone. Her eyes went as wide as saucers, and her face heated up several thousands of degrees. Her bottom lip began trembling like crazy as she shakily withdrew from Teto, staggering back into place. I blinked several times, trying to take everything in as I further asked, "Well, it's just a crush, so I guess it can't be all that-"

"I don't care if it's a mistake!" Luka shouted, surprising the both of us. Here we were, inside the dressing room where Teto and I were about to change. Who knew it would lead to discovering a surprising, forbidden secret. Luka's face went burgundy red as I openly gaped at her, "Oh... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout." She timidly pulled at her thick coat, "B-But... I'm going to make this clear to both of you." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "I appreciate your concern, but I'm perfectly capable of deciding things on my own." We watched as she tenderly put the eggplant on the refreshment table, "It's true... that I love the professor. I... he's the only man for me."

I hesitated, trying to put my words as gently as possible, "But we never knew him up until now. Who he really was in the past, the kind of stuff he got involved in..." My voice trailed, remembering how shocked Luka was upon finding out about Rin, and how professor Kamui got involved in her creation, along with the company exploits. She'd been so shock that she was under a catonatic state for a few days. She recovered, but she hasn't really been the same.

Luka's facial expression softened, and she smiled sadly, "Yes... it really hurt me to know he's been keeping secrets like that. I told him he could trust me, so it upsets me when he shuts me out like that. But it really upsets me when he won't share his pain with me." She lightly touched her breast, sighing deeply, "I think I understand why. He owes a lot to Rin-san, and I would think he feels guilty after watching what Crypton did to others: their sins have burned into his eyes, his soul."

I looked down, my will wavering.

"He was partly responsible, I suppose." Luka said, her smile dimming, "For creating something... like Rin-san."

My eyes widened.

Something... _thing?_

Terrified, I looked at Luka, trying to deny what my mind what warning me.

Did she just call Rin... a thing?

"But if, if it weren't for Rin-san, I never would've met pr-... no, Gakupo." Luka suddenly looked up, the light returning to her eyes. Her face was uncharacteristically bright and glowing. Her smile never looked so beautiful or radiant. "I have her to thank. It's because of her... that I can finally say that I love Gakupo." Teto and I exclaimed in shock, totally not expecting this. She just... threw me off like that?! I couldn't find it in my heart to be angry with Luka. It was impossible.

"You love...?" Was all I could manage, trying not to lose it right there. Pink tendrils framed her face as she grinned confidently, which was totally different from her usual gracing smiles. I felt so ugly compared to her.

"After this rehearsal, I'm going to find him and tell him that I love him."

No one spoke for what seemed like years. My mind was reeling full of memories. Was this really the future? Images of a mini Luka running after me screaming my name popped into my head. One time, she only knew half her kanji, and within a blink of eye, here she was: a girl in love, growing up. I felt like crying despite myself.

Oh... god.

When did the world start changing?

"DON'T SAY THAT!" Teto shrieked, flinging herself at Luka and shaking her shoulders, "It'll never work out! You just can't, Luka! No!" She flailed wildly, grabbing onto Luka's shoulders, "No... I'm such an idiot. No... no... you can't get involved with him anymore than you already are! It's too dangerous!" The pink-haired girl openly stared at her now crying cousin. "I-I-!" Sobs racked her body, "I'm sorry... for making fun of you. I-It can't turn out like this!"

Luka struggled to loosen her iron grip, "T-Teto..."

"It was so easy to just say... that we'd be there for Rin, but-!" Fear etched across Teto's face, "I never take anything seriously. I just thought everything would work out, but I've been having so many nightmares about that night." She lowered herself, barely supporting her own weight as she fully leaned against Luka, "It scares me... I haven't been able to talk about it, and it hurts me even more! Rin's face! Those dead people! Those freaky activists that nearly killed us-! Even the Hatsunes!"

I gritted my teeth, remembering Miku's conversation with the unknown Korean.

"Teto..." Luka attempted to say, only to be interrupted.

"I can't lose you!" Teto tearfully retorted, "I didn't tell any of you this, but... I was so, so scared for you! For all of you! Seeing Rin and seeing all of you falling off the train so many times, I really thought we were going to die. Rin scares me... even though I love her, I..." She backed away from Luka, sniffling loudly, "How can I call myself her friend? I'm an idiot. I-I didn't really care about what happened to me back then. I just... I guess I just that willing to throw away everything so we could get home."

Luka's face crumpled, and tears started to leak out of her eyes as well, "T-Teto..."

Teto kept laughing and crying at the same time. "Right before we got attacked on the train, I-I told Kagamine-kun... that I'd root for Rin no matter what," She hiccupped, and her eyes grew red, "And I've already went back on my word. I'm all talk, y'know? I'm so stupid, so stupid... SO STUPID!" I watched in shock as she threw everything off the vanity desk and knock over the clothes racks. "URGHH!" She pulled at her hair, struggling to keep her voice down, collapsing into the seats in a crying heap. "Hatsune is going to take Rin away..., and there's nothing we can do to stop her!"

Luka looked shocked and upset by this statement, "Teto, what-?!"

"And I made you cry too. I should go to hell!"

"Teto!"

"God, I should just-!"

"TETO!" This was the second time I heard Luka seriously raise her voice. Grabbing Teto by the shoulders, she strictly stared down at her, "I've heard enough. I already told you many times complaining doesn't get you anywhere, didn't I?" I was shocked by this display, rendered speechless. I could only watch as Luka firmly pressed, "Enough! What about Rin-san?!"

Teto sniffled, appearing a little startled, "You were in a catatonic state..., and you wouldn't even see anyone for days. How are you thinking so clearly?" Luka lowered her eyes, her pink bangs falling into her face. She brushed them aside.

"Well... I suppose I just got tired of hiding." Her face suddenly appeared firm, "Now. What's wrong with Rin-san?"

Teto spilled everything. She couldn't stop rambling, and her words were barely understandable. Luka's eyes got wider and wider at the news. Finally, she collapsed in her chair.

"So... that's how it is." Luka glanced at me, her smile losing hope, "I'm jealous, you know. I thought if I pretended to be like you, then maybe I could get strong as well. You impulsively rush into things, and you're always fighting until the very end. You're always trying to live up to your ideals..., but now, I'm not even sure what to do at this point," She then looked at Teto, now disheartened, "Is there... really nothing we can do?"

I glared down at the carpet beneath my feet, trying to contain myself.

Oh... Luka, if only you had a little evil in your heart to know what I've done, who I used to be.

Luka's face fell even further. Sighing shakily, she set down her book and went to comfort Teto, "The reality is that things will not always turn out the way we want them." she said, calmly stroking a hand through Teto's curls, "And we haven't even seen Rin-chan since... that day." A deep, shuddering sigh escaped Teto. She didn't say anything, but she still hung her head in shame, trembling. The pink-haired girl tittered, her smile fading, "Is it weird that I'm starting to doubt our efforts? That everything we've done so far is worthless?" She crinkled her brows at Teto, tearfully smiling, "Well. If you're a fool, then I suppose that makes me even more idiotic than you. Maybe the reason we're all still alive is because we're a bunch of fools."

Fools?

_"Do you have someone you like, Meiko-nee?"_

_"Why are you always so kind, Meiko-nee? If only I could be like you..."_

Stop it...

_"Kaito is very fortunate to have someone as kind, strong, and beautiful as Meiko-nee."_

It's not like that, Rin-chan... it was never like that at all.

_"You'll always be my number one girl, y'know? I do love you, Meiko..., but not like..."_

I already saw this coming... I already knew it would end like this!

Teto's crying, Luka's frustrated expressions, and these past frustrating events. I've had just about enough. It's just like Teto said, it's a miracle we're all alive and safe. No one can call her an idiot for being scared, not even me. Because the biggest idiot of all was never her, Kaito, or even Miku. I looked over at the mirror, glaring right at the culprit.

It's me.

I'm the biggest idiot of them all.

"Don't second guess yourselves." Hearing myself talk surprised me. It looks like I wasn't the only one either. My long-time neighbors turned to me, appearing confused that I just started talking now. My hands petted their heads, roughly tussling their hair until they resembled cotton candy. Grinning, I gently bopped their heads, "You both had good intentions to help and understand Rin... even when others didn't." I took a deep breath, stating firmly, "So no one should ever call you idiots for that."

Luka's eyes widened, and she grabbed my hand before squeezing it. Teto did likewise. With a grin, I pulled away.

"M-Mei..." Teto's eyes watered.

I cocked my head, closing my eyes with another smile, "You're both good girls... y'know?"

Unlike me.

In a flurry, I threw my costume aside and put on my old clothes. Grabbing stage swords from the corner, I charged out the door and dashed down the corridor. I knocked down whoever got in my way, my feet moving in a flurry once my fury fizzled in my head, screaming for my idiotic pride. I knocked down whoever got in my way, my feet moving in a flurry once my fury fizzled in my head, screaming for my idiotic pride.

I saw red.

What Luka said... it was true: things don't always turn out the way we planned, but that doesn't mean we have to give up.

I could hardly breathe. Flight after flight, room after room, my search for Miku went haywire. I left students shaking in their spots, which only added fuel to my fire. I interrogated, threatened, and I almost threw a kid over my shoulder looking for her. I stormed down the corridors, angrier than ever. Luckily, people jumped out of my way once I slammed a door open. She wasn't there.

Voices shouted behind me, and I ignored them. I didn't give a boot whether people followed me downstairs.

My temper was at its boiling point. My frustration got the better of me as I practically crashed through the sky balcony, wildly looking around. Where the Hell is that teal bitch? The wind whipped against my hair. Miraculously, I caught a glimpse of teal down below. Miku was with her seminar group, apparently she was heavily involved, smiling every time someone praised her verbal eloquence.

I practically zoomed to her location, knocking stuff down and tripping over feet. It didn't matter once I finally burst through the courtyard doors, screaming like an axe murderer.

"Hatsune... MIKUUUUUU!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, glaring past the bystanders and directing all my fury at her. The said bitch looked confused, setting down her stuff and standing. I shot her my deadliest glare, cocking my head in the most intimidating way I've ever been taught. I threw a sword at her, causing her to catch it on instinct, and the other students cried out in alarm.

I unsheathed my sword from my belt, its wooden blade trembling from my constant clenching, targeting the object of my fury.

Miku's mouth dropped open in realization, "Meiko...?"

Everything replayed in my head. Memories of us singing together, walking and eating here in this very courtyard with other contestants, it all flashed before my eyes, leading me down to a state of extreme hatred. The roaring crowd, our pretty dresses, the bright stage, and the way she kept fidgeting when her eyes finally met mine.

_"Meiko, could you come with me for a second?"_

She said she lost something. Being concerned and thinking it was bad enough to be her microphone, I rushed from the deck and followed her. She led me through darkness, and the way she guiltily looked at me before shutting the door in my face... all of it happened in this very spot.

Yes. Gyro Concert Hall is where Miss Diva finals took place.

This is where Miku betrayed me and shattered any chance I had of reaching my dreams. Abandoning my thick coat and gloves, I shed everything that would get in my way. Throwing away all logic, I defied any better warnings going off in my head and surged forward with a battle cry, preparing to unleash my hellish onslaught.

Through the snow, I glared directly into her eyes. Brown eyes met teal.

A fire crossed between us, drawing our invisible battlefield.

_THWACK!_

My blade met hers in an instant, but I wasn't surprised. I stayed on my feet and kept going at her, striking wherever I saw teal. Her shocked expression told me she didn't see this coming.

Well, she should've.

"Oh my gosh, what's going on?!"

"WHA! Isn't that Meiko?!"

"S-Someone! Get Ms. Haku!"

Am I doing this for Rin? or for myself?

"M-Meiko-! Stop! STOP!" Miku tried to block my advances, only to get whacked on the shin, and a breathless, pained cry escaped from her. Her surprise turned into anger, finally realizing I was serious. She hesitated, but I only kept going. The hair in my eyes, and the screams of our unwanted audience led me to a mindless fury.

"YOU TRAITOR! LET'S SETTLE THIS!" I roared at her, pushing my foot down on her chest and pressing. "SO GET UP!" I snarled in her face. Even if I'm just an idiot, I still want to do everything I can. I wasn't about to let Miku repeat this... by betraying someone, taking away their dreams. "ARGH!" I clutched my heel in surprise, gasping as I stared at Miku, who wiped the sweat from her brow.

Miku glared at me, finally getting serious. She panted, pushing back her annoying pigtails.

Is what I'm doing wrong?

I screamed again, launching myself at her again. Again. Again. Our swords kept striking. I managed to get two more strikes on her before she managed to get me down using a leg sweep. My head met the floor hard, and a sharp hiss of pain escaped from me.

Maybe I really am one of those stupid fools.

Her blade was coming for my shoulder, so I rolled out of the way just in time. Getting on my feet, my chest heaved rapidly. Sweat formed at my neck, dampening my mood even further. I panted, watching as Miku narrowed her eyes at me, readying herself for another attack. I clutched my bruised side, containing another hiss.

I can't think anymore.

But I can't stop moving forward!

"THIS IS IT FOR YOU!" I shrieked, racing across the space between us and raising my sword.

* * *

**Rin's POV**

A fractured conscious now defines me.

The threads of harmony have definitely come undone.

The hand that touched me was so warm and nostalgic. Len's hand, that is. I think I understand now... I think, what this heartrending feelings are... this... "love". Thinking back to the first night we met, I remembered how intriguing Len was to me. His kindness and bright personality made me feel warm when I observed him, and I indeed felt very alienated when he shared his friends with me, for I was mostly interested in him at the time.

Even when I didn't understand Japanese during the first months I stayed in Japan, that didn't stop me from pursuing Len. I followed him everywhere and shied away from friendly encounters. The only thing I knew was how safe and connected I felt when he was near me, so I investigated those feelings and continually burdened him without considering how others might've felt.

Eventually, I became attached to him, so terribly attached...

After realizing how much I was hurting him and how others were effected by my constant presence, I still tried to avert my eyes and remained the role of Len's shadow. Kaito, Meiko, and everyone else had each other. I noticed how they all seemed so happy being around each other, and how everyone appeared so content when they were with people dear to them. Their happiness made me deeply envious and curious. Soon, I wished to obtain that same happiness.

When I broke free for the first time, my new life was created, and I suddenly knew what I wanted: happiness. That same happiness that everyone had, correlating with people and creating beautiful memories. Their luxurious, normal lives... was my greatest desire.

My hunger for love and company all went to Len, and negative consequences erupted.

It may seem naïve, but I was young. All I wanted was to find a happy life beside Len, to always be with him. I knew how other people admired Len, and how they flocked to him, but even though they must've loved Len... I know they couldn't possibly relate with me, as their feelings for him can never measure up to mine...

Oh... there I go again. These poisonous thoughts clouding my mind are branding me as selfish. Have I become so embittered that I act like Len is my possession...?

Slowly opening my eyes, I laid still on the enclosed incubator, staring past white-uniformed adults through the glass. Tears prickled my eyes as the lights harshly punished my eyes, causing me to see white. My body felt incredibly numb, and I couldn't move a muscle. It was as if I'd been lying in cold water for hours, though the white comforters pillowing my body was there. Once again, I was locked away in scientific prisons. They may as well have locked me inside a coffin; these glass walls mocked my imprisonment.

Classical music echoed through the laboratory, supposedly muffled through the glass, but it reached my ears somehow with clear singing. I cringed when the violins moaned, enhancing a dreary mood. I hate this music, and it reminds me too much of the past events. Though I wanted to cover my ears and ask them to change the soundtrack, I couldn't even move my lips.

I've been confined in this underground sanctuary for two weeks, unmoving and eating through a tube. This place is where Dell's activity thrives, and he's done nothing but care for my well being. Still, I now somewhat resent him for putting me in this solitary confinement, because he's giving me treatment similar to my father's. I've slept most days after constant scanning and testing, and they only allow me to exercise within locked rooms.

Then again, I closed my eyes while thinking of Miku, this is what I deserve... isn't it?

You were right after all, Miku. My decision caused more people to get hurt, and the fact I wanted to stay weighs on everyone as a consequence. I wonder... are you gloating now?

The violin's pitch dropped dramatically as I stared at the air vents, eyes slowly starting to close.

Why... after all this time...

Why does pain always override the happiness I dream of?

Struggling against the numbness spreading throughout my body, my fingers barely trembled as electric currents zapped against the binds. The medicine was overwhelming, and it hurt to use my abilities like this. My muscles cried out as I summoned electricity to counter my paralysis. I breathed heavily, narrowing my eyes as I finally managed to turn my head sideways. From this angle, I witnessed Dell surrounded by the NND, holding up several phones and papers. He appeared to arguing, throwing his hands up and frustratedly running his fingers through his hair many times.

"No, Vice Secretary, I'm not letting her loose on a wild rampage! Who do you think I am?"

"D-Dell!"

He switched phones, "No. Interviews won't be schueduled. That topic is off the record, and Rin is under my survellience and my authority! You have no rights to enter my property, or I'll file lawsuits!"

Dell's face looked tired, and he looked like he wanted to turn tables over. In fact, he looked so devastated that the NND backed away from him, and the scientists kept trying to calm him, offering him medicine and pulling up a chair for him. Dell pushed everyone away, now fervently shouting at the phones. It was surprising, for I've never seen him look so disoriented.

My mouth trembled slightly as I watched him finally slam all the phones into their receivers, collapsing into the chair while hunching over and clenching both sides of his head, mumbling something about coffee. Just get him a coffee, he kept saying. Someone please just get him coffee, and feet went everywhere. I tried to form words, but my tongue laid still, refusing to obey me.

Why, Dell, sir...?

You're upset because of me, aren't you? These people... whoever they are, they keep bothering you because of the damage I've caused to your wonderful city, your home. Yet even as I've wrecked and killed those people on that train, you didn't seem angry with me. You ushered me into this reactor and injected tranquilzers so I could be in this calm state. You helped me instead of condemning me.

But why...

Why are you still helping me?

These people, I've seen them... with flashing cameras and angry signs, I most certainly believe they want to know who I am, and they most likely want me dead. I know what I've done, Mr. Dell, killing those people when Lily's accomplices destroyed that train... those people died because of me. Not only that, but my friends are also hurt right now.

If only I hadn't hurt everyone dear to me...

Why are the people I love dearly always the easiest to lose... especially at my expense?

The NND turned their heels on Dell, walking out the doors on his command. Before Iroha left, she turned and stared at me directly in the eyes, much to my surprise. Her expression looked unreadable, and I couldn't tell what she was thinking. However, I was certain that Gachapoid was on her mind. I believe she blames me for his disappearance, and so do I. Finally, she broke our gaze and promptly exited through the double doors.

I finally exhaled, not knowing I'd been holding my breath while we stared at each other. My face grew hot, and I rested my throbbing head. Achingly, I closed my eyes again, panting heavily.

If only Gachapoid were here... he would tell me what to do.

If only I hadn't taken him for granted...

"Gacha..." I croaked, my vision slowly dimming.

My thoughts started flooding back to the last time I spoke to him...

_"__Rin! GET DOWN FROM THERE!"_

_"Kaito? Rin? What's all the r- AGGAK?! Kaito? Can't you keep an eye on her for ten minutes?"_

_"Shut up! I'm not the one who left just so he could watch Pigtails' volley practice!"_

_"N-! I did not!"_

_"I bet you got a great view of those booty shorts, huh? Pervert Shota!"_

_"WHAT DID YOU SAY?! NOW YOU'RE IN FOR IT!"_

_Foot by foot, I walked across the banister and marveled how smooth my movements have gotten. Thinking back to yesterday, I remembered how well the tightrope dancers performed inside the strange box called the "television". I couldn't help but wonder if I could live up to such talent. I couldn't stop thinking about their graceful forms and limber agility, and knowing the only way to amount up to their skills was to practice._

_As Len always says, "Practice makes perfect."_

_I felt light and happy as I twirled, much to the alarm of Kaito and Len. Though I couldn't comprehend why they seemed so upset, the warm wind and the gulls drew my attention, and I marveled at the summer glory around me. From this height, I could see and hear everything. A breeze ruffled my clothes, tickling my nose. I closed my eyes and simply breathed._

_The salty yet gentle smell of summer, the orange sky with clouds resembling feathers, and the waters reflecting the world above..._

_Surely, this is life._

_"Mistress, I insist you get to lower ground this instant!" An overly stern voice hissed in my ear, shattering my peaceful moment. I reluctantly tore my gaze away from the docks to meet the eyes of my supposed servant. "How many times have I told you not to let those circus acts get to your head? You know better than to practice such demise!"_

_Heat flooded my face as I immediately crossed my arms. I defiantly continued to walk and ignored Gacha's prattling._

_"I know! Oh, I know already!" I protested indignantly, "I am being careful, Gacha!"_

_"It doesn't matter. Please step down!" __Huffily, I broke into a fast trot, increasing the alarmed cries and Gacha's temper. The robot whizzed past my head and continued scolding me. "Please don't question my motives, miss Rin! You should follow my directions because I said so!" The sunset illuminated his tiny form, ironically making him appear more dreamy despite his effort to appear intimidating._

_I turned my head from him with another huff and continued sprining over the railing with my arms now spread eagle wise. Liberated and free, I envisioned myself soaring over the town with wings. My raised fingers touched the clouds as I gave a happy sigh._

_I feel so light._

_Suddenly, my view went tilting rapidly and my hands went spiraling downwards. Before I realized what was happening, several voices cried my name. Notably, one that was screaming in my ear proved to be the most distressed._

_"MISS RIIIN!"_

_I fell off the river walk that day, and Gacha was boiling mad by the time Len and Kaito saved me. At the time, I was only worried about how cold and dark the waters were. Something about being in water always scared me. __Even when we arrived home, he continued scolding me in that mechanical tone while washing my hair and dressing me in warm clothes._

_"Filthy, filthy... You've soiled your clothes, and you don't even know how to swim! Hmph. For once can't you listen to me?" Gacha muttered as he scrubbed my mud-caked cheeks with a washcloth. Every time I tried to apologize, he would simply throw clean clothes in my face in disapproval, "Always causing trouble and coming home unkempt, you're going to be the death of me, Miss Rin."_

_I frowned, "But-MMF!" __My mouth was suddenly stuffed with orange slices, and Gachapoid continued fussing over me._

_"You haven't eaten breakfast again, have you? Honestly, miss Rin! Your energy levels will become irregular if you don't remember to eat around the clock!" __Annoyed, I vented out my frustration by munching the orange. He started combing my hair, showing no mercy on the wet tangles. Surely, this must be his revenge._

_"Gacha, Gacha! That hurts!" I protested angrily, standing and waving him away only to have him glaring at me with a giant's rage. I immediately went quiet seeing his wrath._

_"Sit."_

_Intimidated by his piercing glare, I had no choice but to consent. Gachapoid continued his lecture, and I did my best to listen. Still, I couldn't help the resentment rising within me. _

_Gachapoid is so very long-winded. Anywhere I go, he keeps worrying about me! I truly don't understand why he worries every moment of each day. __I stared up at his levitating form, his words barely coherent as I examined him with utmost seriousness, trying to comprehend his intentions. He suddenly stopped speaking, noticing my intense stare._

_"M-Mistress... are you even listening to me?"_

_I frowned at him, tilting my head and puffing my cheeks, "Oh, Gacha. I know already. Can't you have a little more faith in me?" I clenched my dress and lowered my head, still staring at him, "Len and Kaito saved me, so why are you so upset?" __Gacha's eyes narrowed, practically bumping heads with me as he glared at me face to face. Surprised by the pain, I clutched my forehead with a cry. A mechanical hand extended in front of me, wagging a finger back and forth like a windshield wiper. _

_"Don't you know why I'm angry?! I want you to be more considerate of your health instead of fooling around!" His outburst shocked me into submission, and I silently sat there. After a long pause, Gachapoid sighed, "Miss Rin, I-... I apologize. I shouldn't have have yelled." His form shamefully turned away, and he guiltily started for the vanity desk, "If you can't trust me, then I should ask that Kagamine boy to take care of you instead."_

_Gulping the remains of the last orange, I licked my fingers clean and stared at Gacha confusedly, "But Len's always taken care of me even before I met you, Gacha." I said, impulsively continuing, "Even when everything seemed so complicated then, I was already happy." I smiled pridefully, tugging the hem of my pajama shirt, "If Len is here, then I have nothing to fear."_

_If only I'd noticed how his entire form seemed to deflate while I spoke those words, and his silence for the rest of the day._

_I should've realized sooner... just how much I hurt him._

_I always... always... ruin everything._

_I always hurt others._

Professor Kamui's laptop shut close and awakened me back into the present. Sitting up on the examination table, I tried to ignore the hammering in my chest as the people dressed in white examined me from meters away, taking notes. I broke into a heavy sweat as their critical gazes pinpointed my body like knives, digging into my skin. I hated how they looked at me, as if I were a test subject rather than a... human.

History has repeated itself.

A heavy sigh escaped from the purple-haired professor as he turned his chair to face me, fixing his tie.

"The tests have confirmed you've been taking prescribed drugs to improve your hormonal imbalance, yes?" Kamui asked, halting my train of thought, "You're aware of the effects it's done to your body?"

I tilted my head confusedly, "W-What effects do you speak of? I feel... fine." I suppose I wasn't being entirely truthful. Lily's arrival haunted me, along with the memories of destroying anything in my vision. It made me remember the... the violence I created when I was younger.

Professor exhaled, "As a result, you have low levels of estrogen." He showed me the charts on the screen, pinpointing the scales developed over the last four months. "As of now, it seems, your mood will be greatly influenced. Your hormones will decrease the onset of an enzyme called monoamine oxidase. An overflowing concentration damages neurotransmitters that greatly affect emotions, including serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Neurotransmitter fluctuations can have an effect on thinking, digestion, sleeping, eating, pain levels... at the worst, you could've possibly developed mental issues."

My face fell at those words as I looked down at my feet, shifting uncomfortably. To think I'd've carelessly put such poison into my body... how reckless of me.

"You shouldn't just listen to... Ms. Haku and take painkillers if you haven't consulted a doctor beforehand, Kagamine-chan." Professor Kamui frowned, closing his eyes and crossing his arms, "Please be considerate towards your health. Your body may be genetically advanced, but impulsively consuming chemicals won't guarantee your well-being in the long run."

"I understand." I answered softly and lowered my eyes, "Pardon my ignorance. To think I've caused everyone so much trouble this entire time..." Ms. Haku's medicine hadn't worked after all. Yet after everything's that's happened so far, my words were bland and insincere.

"Well, I can't say I didn't see this coming." Professor answered softly despite his bitter words. I blinked before lowering my gaze. After running many tests, I'd finally been released with a list of strict rules. As of now, I wasn't allowed to attend school after February. This would surely affect my academic standing, being absent for so long. I frowned as he, along with many bodyguards, escorted us to his vehicle.

This is so terrible...

I could no longer see my friends as much as I used to. The only places I could go are engrained into my memory: the mansion, the underground quarters, and school. Nami wasn't allowed to leave the mansion either. After our reunion, she continued whining and complaining about missing all the events and hated being away from her job. After being denied her freedom, Nami sulked for hours. She insisted that she should be able to see me and Len, but unfortunately, Len was already sent to rehabilitation (alongside everyone else) because of the injuries I inflicted him.

The kind professor glanced at me before exhaling. He opened the space between the chairs, taking out a canteen and generously passing it to me. It was hot chocolate, modified to meet my diet's standards. Its contents warmed my tongue, and there was significantly less sugar or whip cream topped with cherries. Despite my disappointment, I appreciated the effort on his behalf.

"Professor..." I spoke after a long silence, staring at my cuffed hands. He hesitantly glanced at me from the rearview mirror. From what I could see, I do not think he wished to speak to me, but he still considered the option out of being polite. Hair hung around my face as I tensed my shoulders, the car's motion causing my entire body to jump.

"Yes, Kagamine-chan?" He sounded guarded, considerably nervous. My mouth curved downwards as I involuntarily clenched my hands into fists. Color cars and buildings passed me in a matter of seconds, appeared like blurs. I pulled at my starchy coat, feeling strangely alienated by the heavy material. I silently motioned to Herr Hoppy sitting on the dashboard, and he complied. Collecting him in my arms, I breathed in Len's calming scent.

Suddenly, I felt a little braver as I started to ask, "Is it true that you knew my mother?" Immediately, the air grew heavy. I could feel the tension radiating from the man as I saw him grip the steering wheel, though he wouldn't look back at me and kept driving. I immediately regretting asking him, seeing I had damaged him by mentioning my mother. Shakily, I started to apologize until he suddenly spoke up.

"Even after all this time, I can still remember her face." His voice was soft and strangled, as if he were trying to keep his voice even. He cleared his throat multiple times before continuing, "She's the most innocent woman I've ever met." I remained silent, for I wanted to hear more. Adjusting the mirror, he glanced back at me with a stern, pensive gaze, "She grew attached to things easily. She always liked sweet things and flowers. In fact, sometimes, she'd make a flowery cake and eat everything in an entire day. No matter how much she ate, she never gained weight," he said, cracking a slight smile, "She didn't have many friends, but she kept the ones she loved close to her heart."

The thing in my chest contracted painfully as I lowered my head, "She sounds... wonderful." I whispered, and the professor's face seemed to soften.

"I learned many things from her," he answered, his tone softening, "She was a good woman, but she had a heart of glass, very fragile and nicked." Those words confirmed my thoughts. Because of Mother's fragile personality, she sought to create me in order to restore her precious memory, but... she eventually regretted it.

"Mother was truly fortunate, to have someone like you as her friend...," I murmured, "She must've loved you very much." As if noticing my bitter tone, Kamui's eyes seemed to adopt a more sympathetic look. I lifted my head and looked at him with an embittered smile, "I used to blame father for what happened to me, but now I realize that it's mother's fault too."

"Kagamine-chan..."

My head lowered as I began to whisper, "Their only interest in me was built on a foundation of lies and blood. Father's edging ambitions and mother's desperate delusions... have birthed into what was called, "The VOCALOID", or myself. Pursuit of knowledge is supposed to empower mankind, but in the end, that hunger leaves them unsatisfied... corrupted even."

Professor went silent.

I sighed slowly, glancing over my shoulder to stare at the metal imprint on my lower back, its letters gleaming.

"I realize what I really am now: this... VOCALOID," I shuddered and clutched my chest, my voice dropping to a whisper, "Everyone already knew everything about me since the beginning, but no one said anything to me." I breathed hoarsely, swaying along with the car's motion, "Why am I always the last to know...?"

"That's...," Professor started hesitantly, "We didn't think it was something you wanted to hear, and it wouldn't've changed anything if you knew. Your friends didn't say anything because they were worried about how you felt."

I stared at the blue car passing us, "You're speaking out of turn, sir." I replied softly. How could he possibly know about my friends' feelings?

"Then with your permission, will you allow me to continue speaking my mind?" he asked, turning his eyes back on the road. I gave him my consent, and he spoke, "Now that you're aware of everything's that happened, what will you do now?" The blood drained from my face as I remembered the horrible message Dell told me about my father "If you'd like, I can take you to see your friends-" Pressure weighed on my shoulders as I thought back to that horrible man... Leon, and my blood became ice. While I was in that VOCALOID phase, I kept hearing his words and seeing his face. No matter how much I tried to block him out, his presence lingered and tortured me, whispering commands or sickly sweet words.

"N...No, no, no, no...! NO NO NO!" My feet harshly connected with Professor's seat, and my body trembled horrendously in a fit of spasms. My hands started shaking, and I broke into a sweat. I clutched Len's rabbit against my chest, squeezing him in attempt to be comforted. Still, that did nothing to soothe my terrors. "I-I don't have that right! How can I face them like this?!" I whimpered, "They couldn't possibly wish to see me after everything that's happened! They're all hurt because of me!"

A tortured mewl escaped me as I thought of everyone and how much I hurt them, including Len. Resting my head against the armrest, I trembled. The breeze breathed on my skin. My eyes stung as I remembered how Len still kept staggering towards me while I rained punishment on him, electrocuting him over and over again! And then there was everyone else!

Meiko-nee tried to help me, but I betrayed her! When Lily was hurting me, it was Meiko who stepped in and tried to save me. In return, I left her dangling off the side of the train.

She was so strong, after all... always looking after her friends.

Oh, Meiko-nee...

I still remembered the wild fire in her eyes as she stared at me while clinging to the side of the train, slipping away and screaming.

Teto and Luka, too. I remember frightening Luka while she watched Len protect me. Even then, she tried to support me by standing up to my sister. And Teto... she fought me to protect Kaito, Meiko, and Len inside the helicopter, while I didn't hesitate to take her down. I still felt the sour breath of helicopter fumes.

Kaito, too. He had done everything he could to help his friends. Yet even when they tried to help him when he was injured, it was him who ended up saving them.

Their frightened expressions, screaming, and the thundering footsteps as they fled from me...

Every time I pictured their faces, I wanted to close my eyes and forget.

And Miku...

My eyes stung as I thought of the teal-haired girl. She'd tried to kill me three times now. The first time was during the sleepover, and the last times took place on the train. I cannot fully comprehend her character. Despite the fact we harbor dislike towards one another, I'd believed she was an honorable character. Yet since those incidents, I've been questioning her true character.

Was she really as noble as many people described her to be?

I groaned, writhing in my seat and hunching over. My hands dug into my ugly hair, yanking and fisting. If only I hadn't remembered everything, if only I hadn't stepped on that train...

Why did things have to turn out like this?

_"Because you need to face the truth." _

"Mikuo-kun." I gritted out, baring my teeth as I shattered my mental image of him.

How could he be so cruel...? Making me remember the "necessary truth"? How could he do such a thing?!

_Because it was what you wanted._

"You don't need to force yourself, Kagamine-chan. I'm sorry, you don't need to force yourself." Professor quickly said, chidingly drawing out his tone, "I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." I breathed shakily, clutching Herr Bunny even closer to my chest. "I... oh, I'm sorry."

"Shouldn't you despise me?" My mouth moved on its own, surprising me. To my ears, Kamui sounded startled as well. "I killed mother: your friend. You're aware of that, are you not? She feared me, hated me..., and she tried to kill me," A shiver ran up my spine, "It surprises me you haven't tried to end my life too. Why... why are you and Dell helping me? Why are you still shelter me even after I took their lives?!" I nearly shouted, referring to the people on the train. The child's shoe flashed before my eyes, and my voice broke. "Tell me... tell me why... why are you doing this?"

If only they would've unbound me earlier, then I could've ended everything sooner. I could've escaped this fate. These cuffs were reinforced to counter resistance. Struggling against them rubbed my wrists and biting my tongue off wouldn't have been good.

I didn't want to leave a mess for anyone to clean up.

Everyone... why? Why are you making me live on like this, why? You all know what I've done and who I've killed. That should be enough for me to atone for my sins, to've left me in that dark warehouse. Is this my punishment?

Am I allowed to live just so I can continue suffering...?

Professor went strangely silent, then he finally spoke, "Although it was your undoing that brought Miriam to her untimely end, no one blamed you during the incident." A deep sigh escaped the man, surprising me, "During a test drive, Miriam voluntarily went inside that room to disable your nerve center, that way we could advance your VOCALOID mode." I tensed at this horrifying confession, looking at him with disbelieving eyes.

"No... why? Why didn't you stop her? You all should've known it was too dangerous!"

"She was the only one who memorized your brain patterns. Therefore, it only seemed safe to put on the job." The professor replied angrily, "But none of us knew what her real intentions were."

Helpless and devastated at this truth, I bent over and covered my face with shaking hands. I curled into a ball, trying to shield myself from any more piercing words. Each fact cut me like a dagger; I felt so vulnerable and exposed. I didn't want to wake up and face this terrible reality anymore. It was so unbearable. It hurts. It hurts. And even now, where am I supposed to go?

And it's all my...

Professor Kamui sighed, signaling before turning a street corner. He pulled over near a stop, finally turning to face me properly.

"When I first starting working under Crypton, I'd often notice you one of the most prominent projects in our block. My co-workers never saw you anything more than a test subject, and so, I thought the same way. I, myself, never thought of you as a little girl with an individual mind, rather, you were just a bionic mechanism with the deceptive appearance of a blue-eyed child." He looked away, laughing slightly, "I saw the monstrous things you've done. I know the people you laid to rest: my co-workers and our arrogant sponsors." he then adjusted the mirror, allowing the sun to pour in. "I then realized your humanity upon your yearning for love. The signs were subtle, but they were still there."

Memories flashed before my eyes, and I vaguely recalled a young man dressed in a lab coat. His hair was purple and down, and he barely acknowledged his co-workers. Unlike the others, he seemed very introverted, preferring his work over sociality.

"Do you remember, Kagamine-chan?" He flashed a sad look over his shoulder, "You were the first to know whenever Miriam walked into your compartment. I know because I was the one assigned to monitor your brain activity; it always increased when she was around you."

My handcuffs clinked and scraped as I sat up straight, staring at my superior, "Is this true?"

Professor smiled, starting up his car again, "It puzzled at first. It wasn't until the first time we released you into training..." his eyes barely flickered with remorse, "that I finally realized Crypton products were just young minds put to torture. They, like you, were just children. I realized too late most of them were involved in trafficking."

My eyes widened.

"At that point, how could I despise you considering we, the company, created you as you are?" He asked, "Moreover, personally getting to know Kagamine-chan proves you are much more human than you give yourself credit for." He looked like he was suppressing a smile, "Megurine-chan would scold me if I said this, but... like all girls, you're an emotional volcano. So I don't think you're that different after all."

We were on the road again, and I was left feeling amazed and somewhat dazed. I blinked back tears as I gazed outside the window, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. Even though I can't possibly forgive myself after all that's happened, professor's words soothed my unease. I clutched my chest. As I hold this pain that ensnares my heart like a crown of thorns, I will let go of my selfish thoughts and hope this pain makes my heart bleed.

_"Help."_

A throbbing sensation pulsed throughout my mind, making my senses reel. Something caught my vision as I turned to face the window. My eyes widened as buildings blurred past my vision, instead, I found myself gazing into the green eyes. This presence felt so strong, and it felt painfully familiar. As if this were a maternal cry calling out to me, I instantly reacted by slamming my palms to the glass. The thing in my chest swelled painfully, and my nerves tingled. An electric current traveled to the tips of my fingers, making them tickle. I gasped.

_"So cold... can't move."_

For a moment, I thought I saw a tube filled with bubbling water. It was large and mystifying, and its cords appeared to burrow underground. Recognition swelled within me as I further investigated the tube.

_"Water my flowers, my little girl."_

That voice...

"Mother?" I breathlessly asked, leaning both palms against the glass. I felt professor's eyes drop on me from the rearview mirror, but I paid no mind to him. Who was calling out for me? My feet slammed against the door, creating a large dent. Professor's cries fell deaf on my ears as I continuously kicked the latched door, creating heavy pounding.

I was entranced by the humming voice, breaking down the door that confined me as I leapt from the car and into traffic. The fray of vehicles hardly bothered me as I followed the voice, edges of my vision whitening. Blares of a large truck fell deaf on my ears as I hurried through the road. I couldn't hear anything anymore, and I no longer cared about what happened around me. Everything around me felt like a dream.

I stumbled into the sidewalk, ignoring the stares people gave me as I ran down the street. A flurry of snowflakes sprayed my vision, dampening my hair and clothes as I continued running, hardly sweating. I found myself staring off into a park ahead, another memory rushing back to me.

_The little girl stared in dismay at the crushed dandelion in her hand, sniffling. She'd fallen and destroyed the flower she'd meant to give to her mother. In the green field, she laid on her knees, bawling her eyes out. It wasn't until a woman waltzed up to her, trying to hide her amused smile while nodding in empathy as the child profusely apologized, trying to stifle her cries as she shamefully presented the damaged flower._

_The woman broke into a wide smile, graciously accepting the gift. A teal-haired boy came rushing up to them, worriedly looking down at his friend. _

_"Cheeks softer than petals with hair brighter than geraniums," The woman laughed, lifting the girl into the air and raised her to the sky, fondly gazing up at her as if she were all the goodness in the world. "I do believe you're the prettiest flower here."_

Suddenly, I stopped, horrified upon realizing where I was.

"Where did you go!?" I cried out, now alone in the vast white wonderland, my feet crunching against the ice. The voice leading me was no longer here, and I was left stranded in this empty space. Tears leaked out of my eyes as I desperately turned to find anything, anyone in my awakening. Sobs swelled in my throat, but I swallowed them as I continued turning, braving the biting frost that nipped my ears.

I continued calling for that voice, desperately waiting for an answer, but only the cold wind answered my call.

I am... alone.

My hot tears dampened the ground as I grabbed fistfuls of snow and cried. No one is here to offer their warmth, let alone witness my demeaning shame: this... sadness.

Here I was, alone, just like the moment I opened my eyes. And very soon, loneliness will be my eternity. It's what I deserve. I'm not worth the dust my friends walk on, so how can I stand among them and pretend I am one of them?

My crying grew louder, and the inner beast within me thrummed against my chest, but I held myself back. It was all I could do to suppress hysteria on the spot. My cries went unheard, swallowed by the howling gale. It hurt even more to know no one would come for me.

Professor is wrong, after all. How am I like the others at this point? Many people are dead because of me. Their pale faces haunt my dreams, and their screaming burns into my mind. I've been branded like a product.

"No more lies..." I cried out against the wind, throwing handfuls of snow into the air and tossing it back in retaliation, "I CAN'T AVERT MY EYES FROM WHAT I'VE DONE!" I screamed, digging my fingers into my head and yanking, scratching at my scalp, "I can't ignore it anymore! Their blood stains my hands! Four weeks! How can I return like this?!" I asked, slowly retracting my hands to lull the aching throb in my chest.

How can I... keep living?

My clasped hands were reddening from the cold, and the shackles on my wrists rubbed my skin raw. I already knew the answer to that unspoken question. I thought dying was what I wanted, but the more I think about it... the more I realize it wouldn't change anything. Whether I live or die doesn't matter. It wouldn't amount to much, my death, that is. My blood isn't worth to be spilled along the others'.

How... strange.

I smiled bitterly, the snow falling into my eyes, "Haaah... I am so... so selfish." After the train incident, I was separated from everyone, contained underground and isolated from their faces. I've been drowning in self-pity and misery that I created, when after all this time, I did want to see them.

Even now, I still...

Mother's face flashed before my eyes, driving me into a corner. I bit my lower lip, trembling. The real reason why I came to Japan was to find her. She was the first person who taught me love. She meant the world to me though my feelings went unrequited. That stunning woman, who walked in beauty, left me to die. Even still, I wanted to find her... I still...

Breathing heavily, I slumped my shoulders as I wiped my tears, sniffling.

If my own mother hated me, her child..., then surely, no one will ever love or cherish me as much as I hope for. Kind people will pity me, maybe even forgive me, but they would never understand me. Let alone love a creature like myself.

_"You're wrong." _Len's voice suddenly cut through my impending thoughts, causing me to gasp. Those words he had whispered in my ear that day... and his voice battled with my terrible conscience. I suddenly remembered how tightly he hugged me, throwing away his pain and doubt just to hold me in his arms...

How warm he felt...

Len's soothing whispers reached my ears, and the places where he touched me left pleasant tingles.

Len... Only Len did everything for me...

It was as if he were still holding me.

The boy... I love.

Tears coursed down my cheeks as I sobbed into my hands, shoulders wracking furiously. I whispered Len's name through my parted fingers, cheeks reddening from the cold. All the memories we shared, and everything he did for me... it was for me; it was sincere effort and... yes, that's what I can call it. He's always shared everything with me, including his own strength. I wish he was here, holding me, touching me...whispering in my ear, looking at me...

I ached for him. I wanted to see him again, hear him again, touch him again...

_That warm face..._

Meiko-nee, Kaito, Luka, Teto... Nami, Dell... Ted, Akaito, Akita and her friends, and Ms. Haku...

Gachapoid..., Len...

Everyone...

"I want to see you..." I spoke aloud, furiously wiping my tears. February is my deadline, but even so, can I be selfish one more time? After this, I will be a good girl. It makes me a bad, bad girl for saying this, but even after everything's that's happened, I'll never regret the memories I made in Japan: my mother's favorite place in the world. For me, it'll always be my favorite as well.

I'll never regret this.

I mournfully gazed up into the sky, snow falling into my eyelashes as I blinked. I started running again.

If all I have left are choices with no right answer, then I'll abandon everything.

* * *

**Len's POV**

"So, what should I get my parents this year?"

"Eeeh?! You still haven't bought them anything?! Christmas is next week!"

"I can't help it! What can you get adults at this age?"

The city is especially pretty this time of year, but it's also at its busiest. Girls from another school rushed past me, probably heading towards the nearest shop. I was on my way to the Gyro Concert Hall after having the NND drop off my stuff at the hotel the play cast would be staying at. It took forever, but it was finally over. I heaved a sigh and laid back against my wheelchair.

A childish huff came from behind me, "Why all the sighing? That's all you've been doing since we left your rehab sessions. Anyway, I'm the one who should be complaining! Why am I always the one stuck babysitting pubescent humans?!" Iroha rattled, furiously pushing me across the high bridge. As she skidded to turn, I glumly rested my chin into my hand and silently fumed. "Today was supposed to be my day off!" the android whined, stomping her feet, "I wanted to play with To-chan!"

"Sorry you gotta put up with me." I grumbled halfheartedly, looking down at my useless legs.

That's right... it's been four weeks since I've last seen Rin.

That train incident really took its toll on me. I wasn't able to go to school for what seemed like years. But when I wheeled through the academy doors, people kept asking me about how I got so badly injured and where Rin was. News about the train accident spread like a wildfire, and once again, my family was the center of attention. Four dead, and not to mention the rumors about an unearthly girl who had a voice of a dragon wouldn't rest up. Most of the survivors from the train refused to comment on the situation, but some of them mentioned the robots and that psychotic girl claiming to be Rin's sister.

Anyway, it sucked. I had to be put into a hospital for weeks. I couldn't walk because of the injuries inflicted from trying to confront Rin. Mom wouldn't stop hounding me about my apparent recklessness, but it's not like she was there at the time.

Four weeks...

_"But right now, my heart is trying to tell you something."_

_"Can you hear my heart?"_

I scrunched up my nose in thought.

What did those words even mean? I said them to Rin, but that's because it popped into my head, and I wasn't even thinking much about it.

Back then, it wasn't such a big deal, but now I wish I could've expressed what I felt without sounding like some weird and creepy poet. I should've just told her something different... like, "Let me hold you" or something. Why on Earth did I have to bring up hearts into our conversation. That's just embarrassing. I'm trying to be a man, for crying out loud.

I groaned and buried my face in my hands.

Oh, great... wow. My biggest problem is wishing I'd said something more manly when I helped her revert. Wow, what is wrong with me? I have better things to worry about.

The ride was getting boring, and I had to stop myself from falling asleep several times. My wheels rolled against the grated bridge. I rolled past carolers, who were waving and cheerfully closing in on me. Iroha grumpily steered me away and kept pushed onwards. A snowflake fell into my open palm before melting quickly. With a heavy sigh, I leaned even further against my wheelchair, watching the snow fall.

We finally arrived at the concert hall. Iroha did the honors of practically speeding me inside. Then her phone went off.

"Eh? What do you want, Kamui?" Iroha skidded us to a stop, putting a hand on her hip and raising a brow. "O-Okay, calm down. I can't understand a word you're saying. Say that again." Curiously, I looked at her as her expression slowly changed into one of panic and disbelief. "SHE WHAT?!" She practically screamed, attracting attention. "YOU'RE KIDDING ME!" My eyebrows raised at her changing expressions. Iroha groaned in frustration, slapping a hand against her helmet. "Fine, fine... if she's heading in this direction then it shouldn't be hard to track her down. Understood." she clicked her phone shut and let out an exasperated sigh, "Honestly..."

"Did something happen?" I asked, tilting my head back so I could see her.

Iroha grimaced, and she immediately glanced away, "... Nothing." Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she gestured to the corridor leading to the wide auditorium. "You better get in there. Sorry to bail like this, Kagamine, but Kamui apparently needs my assistance right now."

I frowned, "Oh... okay."

Iroha left without a word, leaving me in the foyer.

I checked my watch, grimacing. Great. I was two hours late, and I didn't even know where I was supposed to be. Time to find Ms. Haku. I wheeled into the Concert Hall, passing the jazz quartet playing in the café. Hot food filled my nostrils, and I was tempted to go back and get something. I shook my head and attempted to open the concert doors.

No good. They were locked.

"Haha, he'll never find me- YOOOWW!" Suddenly, something hard crashed into the back of my wheelchair, causing me to lurch forward and almost fall out of my chair. Luckily, I managed to grab onto the handles right before I could do so. "Ow, ow, ow!" Someone wailed behind me, causing me to turn around fully.

"Oh. Are you hurt?"

Glitter momentarily blinded my eyes, and I blinked several times to see a little girl wearing a Santa dress, accompanied with a hat jingling with gold bells. Suddenly, I found myself face to face with the idol child singer, Kaai Yuki. She was on the floor, rubbing her bottom and pouting. Shock overwhelmed me, and I nearly fainted on the spot.

Wait. Wait a second.

Am I seeing things?

"Whoa! A-Are you who I think you are?" The said girl suddenly stopped and stared up at me. My lips twitched into a disbelieving grin, and I sat upright. I could feel my knees buckling. My mouth went dry, and my eyes popped out of my face.

The pigtailed girl scrunched her face at me, "Whatcha mean, mister? I'm Kaai Yuki! Daddy said everyone should know that by now." she then pursed her lips thoughtfully, slowly getting up, "Or... um, like Mama would say to Ryuto... oh." She then took on a very serious pose, shaking her finger at me, "Have you been living under a rock?"

Nope. This is definitely her.

Her voice and attempts at acting adult...

It had to be...!

"IT'S REALLY YOU! Y-YOU'RE KAAI YUKI!" I immediately blurted, grabbing her hands and squeezing them. My hands were shaking. I inwardly cooed at how soft her hands felt, and I couldn't help smiling even wider. I resisted the urge to hug her right then and there just to make sure she was real. She blinked. The look she was giving told me she used to these kinds of outbursts, either that, or she was pretending she wasn't scared of my intense fan moment.

Kaai Yuki!

Oh. My. Soul.

Yuki nodded, tilting her head curiously, "I sure am. Oh, do you want my autograph?"

What? Did I hear right?

My mouth fell open.

"YES! OH MY GOSH YES! YES PLEASE!" Eagerly, I flung her arms aside and reached for my bag pack. It was a struggle, and I probably should've been more prepared, but I finally managed to grab my math notebook and practically thrust it in her direction. I grinned excitedly, hardly able to contain myself. "C-CAN YOU GIVE ME YOUR EMAIL?! I PROMISE YOU I'M NOT SOME CREEP!"

Popping out an apple-themed pen and took my notebook, Yuki laughed, "You're funny, Onii-chan."

My eyes went misty, and I brought my hands to my chest, extremely touched by this gesture.

I can't believe it.

Kaai Yuki is smiling. Kaai Yuki is smiling at me. Me.

This is the best day ever.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm crushing on little girls, but I've loved Yuki Kaai even before she made her debut. She's only nine, but she sings the most high-spirited songs I've ever heard. Even if I'm having a bad day, listening to her sing cheers me up. And now, ever since she made that candy land music video, everyone knows who she is. I glowed, reveling in sight of her standing before me.

I knew she was pretty cute from the television, but looking at her standing right in front of me...!

I never knew how tiny she was in real life!

This is so cool... my classmates are going to be so jealous. I watched as she scribbled across the front of my notebook, unable to suppress my excitement.

Math, never again shall I forsake you.

"From Yuki. To my friend..." She drawled, suddenly looked up at me, "What's your name, onii-chan?"

I blinked, now back to reality, "Oh. I-It's Len. Kagamine Len." Yuki's eyes went wide as saucers, and she stopped writing. She stared at me as if I'd turned into a toad. I raised my brows and smiled anxiously, but before I could ask her what was wrong, footsteps sounded, along with a boy calling out.

"Ah, Yuki-chan. So that's where you've been, hm?" We both turned, surprised to find Hatsune smiling and nodding at us. A loud squeal erupted from Yuki as he approached, and a grin ate up her face.

"Mikuo-nii!"

"You worried me. I was afraid that you'd gone off and got eaten by monsters."

"Monsters? What monsters?"

Hatsune simply smiled before grabbing her and tickling her, causing her to shriek with laughter. "Monsters like me!" Miffed, I sat there and watched as he put his filthy hands on the cute singer. So, he even got acquainted with her before I did? This is ridiculous. I finally cleared my throat, and that's when he finally noticed me. "I see you've met my friend here, Kagamine-kun. What a pleasant surprise."

What a liar.

"Same here." I replied, not even bothering to hide my sarcasm. Hatsune appeared unfazed, his smile only growing.

Hatsune... he's supposed to be dead, isn't he?

According to what Miku said, this guy... wasn't even supposed to be alive.

But why?

Ugh. I don't get it.

"What happened to you, Kagamine-kun?" Hatsune asked in concern, gesturing to the wheelchair. "Are you alright?" Pch. Look at him, making me look like a helpless handicap in front of my favorite singer. The nerve of him.

"I'm fine." I answered flatly, crossing my arms, "Just an accident happened is all. Anyway, how do you know Kaai-chan?"

Mikuo smiled fondly at the girl, who adoringly clutched onto his waist.

"I just met her today. She got lost on the way to the sports stadium after the winter parade, and I'm helping her find her mother."

"Mikuo-nii is my friend, you see!" Yuki exclaimed cheerily, cheeks reddening, "He's really cool!" I bit my lower lip, not particularly liking how she kept smiling at him like he was the best thing since bananas.

Hey... I'm the one who used half of my allowance to buy your albums.

Where's my fan service?

"Oh... that's cool." I stiffly answered, tearing my eyes away from this disgusting sight, "A-Anyway, Hatsune... you wouldn't happen to know where Ms. Haku is, do you?"

Mikuo hummed thoughtfully, stroking his chin, "If I recall, she's orchestrating the set right now. As you know, the backstage crew still has some trouble moving the back scenes around. I don't think you should bother her right now..." He then trailed off, looking as if he were pondering about something. "Ah, come to think of it, you're awfully late."

"Mikuo-nii! Mikuo-nii!" Yuki tugged persistently at Mikuo's sweater vest, trying to catch his attention. She pouted, clenching her hands into tiny fists, "This guy! This guy...!" She pointed at me, "This guy is Miku-onee-chan's boyfriend! That's what Mama keeps telling me, y'know! 'Cause, y'know, whenever Miku-nee comes over, all she ever talks about someone named Kagamine Len! And that's this guy's name!"

Mikuo blinked several times. A slow smile crept his way onto his face as he glanced at me.

"...Oh, really?"

My face went burgundy.

B-B-BOYFRIEND?!

I stared at Yuki in disbelief.

Did she just say that I'm Miku's-?!

"Who, me?!" I nearly yelped, steering back in shock. The sly look on Mikuo's face made me want to pummel him, but I didn't want to make myself look stupid in front of Yuki, who kept looking at me expectantly. I laughed nervously, my face growing redder each second they looked at me. "N-No... well, I don't know how you know her, but... it's not like that! I swear!" I broke into a sweat as Mikuo's eyes bore into mine. He's coming onto me! "R-Really! She's beautiful and all, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't see me in that context!" I rubbed the back of my neck nervously, "P-Plus, it's not like we have the time to get... you know, together?"

Not to mention... the way Miku had been acting lately... made me realize I hadn't known her that well like I thought I did, but that didn't change the fact that we're still good friends.

But I wouldn't mind going out with her, I guess... yeah.

Mikuo flashed Yuki a million-watt grin before nodding in agreement, "He's right, see. Boys are animals at this age, Yuki. You must be careful." I didn't miss the glance he gave me, and it ticked me off. "Very... careful." Straightening himself, he closed his eyes and nodded, "In any case, it seems the only girl who's on his mind is Rin-san."

What... did he just say?

Yuki crinkled her forehead, "Rin?" She turned to me, appearing a bit sad, "Is she your girlfriend?"

I blinked.

Rin... my girlfriend?

I tried to picture it. Holding hands with her, eating together, walking to school or gym together, studying together...

Whispering in her ear, comforting her...

Kissing her... holding her...

My eyes widened in realization.

Wait a second. We've actually done those things.

Why did I not notice this until now?

I internally sighed, and I furrowed my face in deep thought. Leaning forward, I sighed. Rin made me overthink things, even now. Right now, I wasn't even sure where we stood. If anything, we can't be friends after everything we've been through... after all we've done.

I... may... sorta-ish... like her.

_We were behind by three points. The night sky was illuminated by the bright stadium lights, along with the audience cheering our long time rivals on. Ted, beside, sweated up a storm. His usual laid-back nature was swallowed by his determination and fire as he yelled out orders at the forwards, sprinting to keep up with the rival player who had the ball._

_I was behind him by three feet, panting._

_"You can do it, Len! You can do it!" __Rin's cheering came from above the stands, surprising me as she shouted even louder than the others. She shot me one of her rare, soft smiles. "I believe in you!"_

Is she my girlfriend? I mean, we've done those things couples do, but we've never really talked about DATING and all that. I-I mean, she's cute and sweet and even though she freaks me out sometimes- wait. I'm in a wheelchair because of this girl, but lately my heart's been hurting worse 'cause of her!

I sighed, throwing my hands up in the air.

Rin... Rin doesn't even think of me like that! She called me her friend, you know! Back then she thinks we're still friends so there's no way we can be-! Hang on a moment, Len. Rin... she's just a little clueless about things, you know. I shouldn't let this get to me, and I mean it's no use worrying over-

OH NO WAIT PIKO.

She's going out with that...! Woman-stealer!

UTATANE PIKO.

But then again, she doesn't even understand how he feels about her, so it's all good-

"Mikuo-nii...?" Yuki's slightly scared whisper broke my train of thoughts, "Why's he flailing around like that? Is he dying?" I turned into stone. Oh crap. I forgot those two were still standing there. Then Mikuo laughed.

My face burst into flames.

The more I chase after Rin, the more distance between us, it seems. I groaned, my back hitting my wheelchair as I ruffled my hair, muttering complaints. If only I could run, then I could find you. I could have pledged my emotions to you in a deeper sense, to force you to understand what I meant to say.

Darn it, Rin... what are you doing to me?!

I hate this... no matter what I do, I just can't stop thinking about her.

Frickin' Jesus. It's the hormones... yup. It's gotta be.

Our relationship = it's complicated.

"He's thinking about Rin-san: his twin sister." Hatsune corrected, patting the girl's head, "She is a nice girl, just like Miku-chan... around our age. She's also quite pretty, other than the fact that she eats quite a lot."

Yuki rose a brow, "Just like Miku-nee? But...!" She pouted, crossing her arms, "No way! Miku-nee is the best! No one is just as pretty or cool as Miku-nee because she's the best cousin anyone could ever ask for!" She shuffled a bit, "'Sides, the only other girls in Miku-onee's grade wear too much make up and are mean. Believe me, I've met them."

Hatsune laughed good-naturedly, "Now, now. Let's not make assumptions. You might come to like her."

"Nooo! I don't wanna meet her!" Yuki puffed out her cheeks indignantly, stomping her feet, "She sounds weird!" Yuki then turned to me, rushing forward and grabbing my hands with a hopeful gaze, startling me. "Hey, Onii-san? If you don't belong to Miku-nee, then can I be your girlfriend?"

My heart just exploded from my chest.

Wait, she said what?

My jaw dropped, "R-Really?"

"Yup! Even though you sorta look like a girl," Those words pierced my chest, causing me intense pain to my pride. My smile trembled, but I willed myself not to cry. Not now. "I think you're cool and funny! Therefore, you must become my husband!" She gave me a very serious look, "I promise to make you happy."

I laughed nervously, breaking into a sweat as I realized Hatsune was watching us with amusement. Dammit, look at him smiling. No, no. That smile is positively ominous, and it's the pretext to my doom.

He wasn't planning on telling Miku or Rin, was he?

Evil bastard.

Come to think of it... isn't Rin somewhat interested in this b-

Realizing Yuki was still waiting for my answer, I gulped, "A-Ah, um... m-maybe when you grow up, okay?" For a moment, she looked a little disappointed before brightening again.

"Hm~! Okay, Len-nii. The wedding can wait until I become a fourth-grader! Besides," Yuki giggled, her cheeks pinking, "I want Ryuto to come back first!"

Ryuto...?

Huh, must be a school friend.

"Ah, Yuki. I think your mother's over there." Mikuo noted while pointing out a woman idling near the exit doors, looking worried. "Let me escort you to her." Yuki agreed and handed me back my notebook. She started skipping ahead of him, but not before waving furiously at me.

"Bye, Len-nii! I'll see you again!"

Sheepishly, I waved back before rubbing the back of my neck.

So, we'll meet again, huh?

When will that be?

Hatsune gathered his checklist and books, turning to me, "According to the list, your group is downstairs. The seminars have already begun, so please hurry." I nodded, my thoughts now recollecting as I stared at the guy in front of me.

If Hatsune is supposed to be dead, then am I talking to a zombie?

Moreover...

"Who are you really?" I said the question out loud, not really giving it much thought about how it might've sounded. Hatsune glanced up from his clipboard. I narrowed my eyes at him, remembering what Dell said about him. "How do you know Rin? Are you like..." I wasn't sure how to put this, but I continued, "What are you trying to accomplish?"

For a moment, all Hatsune did was stand there, looking at me. I tried to see past his calm face, and it frustrated me to not know what he was thinking. His face suddenly broke into a cheery smile.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're trying to ask me, Kagamine-kun." He told me, shrugging slightly, "In any case, I'm sure you know me as 'Hatsune Mikuo', the younger brother of Hatsune Miku. I'm just your classmate and supposed philosopher who enjoys simple things. To Rin-san, I suppose we're confidants." He then looked overhead at the chandeliers, our reflections hovering over us. "And my goals are just like anyone else's."

"But everyone has different goals." I answered, crossing my arms.

"A fair answer." Hatsune chuckled, glancing at me amusedly, "But I'm curious as to why you're putting me under question, Kagamine-kun. Have I done something wrong?"

My eyes narrowed even further, "... Not that I know of." I cautiously wheeled back, and I continued staring at his strange grin. That was Hatsune for you. Always smiling but no one knows what he's really thinking. I've never met someone like him before, so I guess that's why we don't really get along. I just didn't know what to make of him. I especially didn't understand why he always seemed so unflappable.

"I suppose I should be relieved." he cheerfully answered.

I snorted, "Well, that's good, considering you're not dead."

Hatsune stopped smiling.

I blinked, realizing what I just said.

Augh... crap.

"You're right about that," Hatsune drawled, approaching me. Gulping, I tried to scoot back, but he swiftly grabbed my wheels and reeled me in. I found myself face to face with his now intense stare, "It's nice being alive, isn't it." He clenched my wheels even tighter, staring straight into my soul, "I was in an accident not too long ago, but I lost a lot more than you."

"What's... that?" I asked uncomfortably, trying to get my space back. Way too close. He's way too close.

Hatsune kept smiling, slowly reeling away, "My happiness." He drew away even further, his eyes dimming, "Well. I've wondered what's the point of living if you can't be happy. People chase after it until the very end, and then they'll wonder if they've truly obtained it..." I furrowed my eyebrows, not really getting it. Seeing my confusion, he sighed, "My apologies. Do you understand why I'm saying this?"

Well, I know what he's saying, but... in actuality...

I shook my head, "You're confusing me."

Hatsune lowered his eyes, his shoulders sagging a little. "You have my apologies; my mind tends to wander." He then smiled at me again, "Thank you for being honest. I'd hate to see that trait go to waste, and it's a lot more assuring than seeing you acting as though you understood me." He fixed his tie, his smile easing, "In fact, I'd probably hate you for that."

I rose a brow, "Hate me?"

Like you don't already?

Hatsune closed his eyes and nodded, "It's just that there's nothing worse than to lick each other's wounds so much that you think you really understand each other, when you really don't." I stayed quiet, not knowing what to say. "Well, it seems I've wasted your time, so I apologize again. Please excuse me." He started to leave.

"Wait. You never did answer my question." I held up my hand to stop him. To my relief, he actually paused. "What are you trying to accomplish?" Not even looking at me, Hatsune reached into his pocket and pulled a long, dangling chain with a jewel at the end. I squinted and realized it was a silver necklace. He rose it to the window, allowing the sun to capture the jewel. The jewel appeared to glow.

"The owner of this necklace used to be really beautiful and kind, even to me," He answered slowly, gripping it tightly, "You could say I'm trying to fulfill her dying wish."

Oh... I wonder what that is.

"Don't run into Ms. Haku on the way. You might get in trouble for slacking." Hatsune said as he started walking away, "Oh, and I wouldn't take the elevator if I were you." He calmly enunciated as though I wouldn't understand him the first time.

Affronted, I stared after him, not sure why he was telling a cripple not to take the elevator. How else am I supposed to get downstairs? Using the stairs?

So he makes fun of cripples now?

Punk.

After all these days of not seeing him, I'd hope he'd be less of a jerk. Shaking my head, I went on my way towards the elevator. Surprisingly, the area around it looked strangely isolated and dark.

* * *

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

**BOOM!**

My stuff flew everywhere.

This is the worst day ever.

"Agh! Shit..." I gritted out, my fingers clenching around the netting as if it were my lifeline. I looked down below, panting as I realized what could've happened if I'd fallen the entire drop. I couldn't move, and here I was, trapped in this net like a fish. My wheelchair lay a few feet away, bouncing freely against the cords.

The lights above me flickered like dying fireflies.

As it turns out, the most of the area was completely was empty, and most of the lights that guided me through the hallways were strangely dimmed. By the time I reached the elevator, it struck me as odd that the lights didn't flash on once the doors opened, as a result, I couldn't see anything within that barely lit corridor. Still, I stepped inside.

Also, the elevator doesn't work.

And here I am, laying flat on my face twenty feet underground and trapped inside the elevator shaft.

I'd gotten a few scrapes and a near heart attack from the pit drop, otherwise, I was fine. My heart was still beating like crazy, but at least I hadn't died. If it weren't for this net, I'd probably end up like one of those missing people on television.

Apparently, there's just not enough life-threatening situations for me...

"Great, now how am I supposed to get out of here?" I mumbled angrily, mostly to myself. My head kept spinning, and the wheels on my chair kept turning. Strangely enough, I wasn't panicking as much as I would've, given the situation, but I felt incredibly frustrated. My shoe had fallen off, and angrily, I grabbed it and flung it down the shaft, surprised to hear a loud chomp.

Dust rose from below, along with a loud ripping noise and heavy sigh.

"I'd like to see you digesting leather. It's a pain." A raspy voice croaked from below, causing me to immediately look down. My hands raised in defensive fists, and I heard a hollow chuckle. I blinked, somehow this voice sounded familiar. "Waking me up by throwing a shoe at me. As expected of your gentlemanly charms, you dirty mongrel."

I peered through netting cautiously, bracing myself when the dust finally cleared. The sight that greeted me threw me off-guard, and I gaped, totally not expecting this.

The face was recognizable, I could make that much out, but I had to blink several times to make sure what I was seeing was real. I don't think I was hallucinating. Jade eyes pierced through the darkness, staring at up me somewhat sternly. In the dim light, I could make out a small body resting against the a pentagon-shaped cage. I still couldn't see him well enough, but I didn't have to actually see him to realize who I was talking to.

"You're... Gacha...poid?" I finally uttered, eyes wide. I recalled the stern kindergartner who rescued me from that time. His stern stare was a little more than discomforting, and anyway, how could I forget those critical eyes? If I recall, he's also Rin's 'servant' or whatever... and he is a detached part from her brain... or something.

But the big question is, what is he doing trapped in a cage inside an elevator shaft?

Jade eyes narrowed suspiciously before widening at the sight of me, "Wait... it's you!" Watching me writhe in the netting, he scoffed, "What ill-timing. You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?" He gestured towards the wheelchair dangling off the netting before finally falling. It went down hard with a crash. He sighed, "Of all the people I could've reunited with, it had to be you..." The little boy croaked, his voice echoing. "You humans make my life hard."

I nervously cleared my throat, "Sorry." Wait, why am I listed in his category? Then I saw the shoe being spat out and immediately refrained myself from retorted. "I... haven't seen you in a while. I-I've been meaning to talk to you more, but I never got the chance." I finally said, my eyes fixating on his small form, "Why are you down there?"

Gachapoid remained silent.

"Hey, are you listening?"

"You want to talk about mistress Rin, I presume?" Was his sudden and calm reply.

My eyebrows furrowed, "How did you...?" I shook my head, not wanting to get distracted, "This isn't really the time-"

"Just speak your mind. Worry about that later."

Water dripped from the pipes above.

I paused, seeing if he had anything else to add. He only looked at me and waited. I averted my eyes, "Rin gets hurt easily, just like you said before. She's stubborn, childish, and she's always talking down on herself...," I then looked up, "But she's really kindhearted and willing to help people they need her... even it if means giving up her own desires."

"All fatal flaws of a girl such as herself." Gachapoid deadpanned, his eyes glowing through the bars of the cage. I blinked in surprise. I wasn't expecting to hear this.

"You think so...?"

"Unchecked selflessness grows to naiveté, and her fear of hurting others often leads to hurting herself instead." Gachapoid stood on his feet, croaking strangely, "Furthermore, the more she restricts her frustrations, the more likely she'll come to a destructive breakdown." His eyes bore deep into mine, "Have you ever wondered what it's like knowing your hands are stained with blood while attempting to adjust to a normal life?"

I stared at him, unable to reply.

"The more she tries to ignore her past, the worse her future will become." Gachapoid said, "Her fa-... no, Leon will never let her go. The pride of ambition will never loosen its grasp on her." A heavy sigh escaped from him, "Speaking of which, how has she been?" The question alone was enough to make me wince. I couldn't answer.

When I finally could, my voice sounded weak, much to my own anger.

"Not that great..."

For a moment, Gachapoid was silent.

"I see..." he finally said before dropping his gaze, "I felt a shift in her mind at one point, but I was hoping she hadn't resorted to VOCALOID mode," His eyes dropped on my wheelchair, "but I was right after all."

"She didn't mean to hurt anyone! That girl! Lily! It was all her fault!" I shouted right before he could make any conclusions. Realizing how angry I sounded, I tried to calm down, "I-If it's anyone's fault, it's hers."

"Lily, you say?" His voice sounded as dry as leaves, "Oh, right. Rin's stepsister..."

"Some sister she is! Putting other people's lives in danger just so she can kill Rin! She called Rin a monster!" I shouted, standing on my elbows. Scoffing, I add, "She's the worse case of brutal. I can't even walk now because of that Looney." Hearing no reply, I took that as a sign to continue, "In any case, it's great that I found you. If we hurry, we can find a way to get out of here..." I smiled down at the android, "Any ideas?"

A loud rustling sounded from below, and I was left in anticipation before he finally decided to answer, "... Say you were in a dangerous situation. If you had a choice between doing what's right and doing what you want, what would you choose?"

Huh?

"Uh-"

"Just answer."

I furrowed my eyebrows.

I wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but I finally decided to think. Between what I want and what's right. Hm. I tried thinking harder.

Ah! I got it.

"Well, I'd want to do the right thing. So it's both." I answered, staring down at him. The net bounced, making my entire body sway. "If running away is the second option, it's technically the wrong choice, isn't it? No one really wants to run away from their problems, it's just that they're so scared that their body just reacts that way."

The android sighed, "An interesting answer," he sharpened his claws (wait, claws?) against the bars, "Then it's a shame Mistress Rin constantly mixes those choices up." He stared up at me, "Unluckily for us." His footsteps echoed. "Tell me, Kagamine Len, do you treasure the life you have? Do you consider your family and friends precious?"

I blinked, "W-Well... yeah. Sure, I do." I thought back to Kaito, Mom, and Dell. Akaito and Ted, who were my best buds, and even my neighbors, classmates, and teachers. I was glad I got to know them. It would be a shame if I died here and never got to see them again... maybe we should hurry up and try getting out of here.

"Do you truly mean that?" he quickly asked.

"Of course I do. It's not like I can lie about that." I stiffly replied, somewhat affronted that he kept asking rhetorical questions.

"Good." Gachapoid sounded blatant, and much to serious for my liking, "Then you wouldn't try risking your life or anyone else's in order to change someone else's, would you?" He quickly continued, not allowing me to interject, "Because if you do, then you will end up losing everything." His jade eyes narrowed into slits, "In a dangerous situation such as that, what do you think the right choice is?"

"The right... choice?" I dumbly repeated.

"Knowing you, you'd try helping that person as best as you could. In Rin's case, you've done enough... but for what reason?" He asked, "Do you really want to make her life happy like yours? Or are you just helping her achieve a happy life so she can be grateful to you?"

My eyes shot open.

Inhaling sharply, I clenched the rope, "Are you saying... what I'm doing is out of my own selfish desires and not for Rin?!"

Gachapoid simply sighed, "That's not what I meant, but just because you persist on doing what's right doesn't mean you're doing it for the right reasons. In the long run, you're not guaranteed a happy ending." Another loud crunch resounded, making me flinch. It sounded like he was eating something. "In fact, some humans are so sure of what they're doing that they become obstinate. The more they become like that, they'll become averted from happiness."

I clenched the webbing, "What should I do then? She saved my life before! I just want to repay her..., and Dell's the one who entrusted me to her!"

"Don't confuse gratitude with responsibility." He called between loud munching, "And-" Crunch. "If you confide under a roof and are well-fed, why would give it all up to be someone's benefactor on whim?" A loud crunch resounded throughout the corridor, "I'd never allow that to happen. I'll shred your face to ribbons first. I'm the one who's entitled to that right, not yours, and especially not Dell's."

Dell?

I remembered that time when I'd been thrown off the Ferris wheel at the amusement park. Only Rin had saved me then, along with those other people there...

I gritted my teeth, "I don't like hearing that from someone who's been missing for a month! I swore I would be there for her forever!"

A low snarl came from below, "You did what...?"

"I swore I would protect her and be there for her forever!" I repeated even more impatiently this time, glaring at him, "That's what I intend to do."

"If you strive to give her everything she wants in order to alleviate your own guilt, then don't." The boy sharply raised his voice, scraping his claws into the dirt, "It's not like she ever asked you to protect her in the first place. At times like these, what is it that you humans say...? Ah, I remember now." He then tilted his head at me at a weird angle, pupils enlarging, "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep."

I reared back, angry.

This guy... just who does he think he is?

"In case you're wondering, I actually do keep promises!" I shouted back at him. Gachapoid didn't look at all affected by my indignant face, brushing off my retort.

"Aside from that, you're in that state because of love, aren't you?"

I blinked. Then my eyes widened, and my face burst into flames, "L... LOVE?""

Gachapoid scraped his boots against the floor, and it was starting to bother me, "From what I've speculated after all this time, you have feelings for miss Rin." He replied nonchalantly, looking at his now sharpened claws. This made me even more embarrassed. How can he even talk like that so calmly?! "The reason why you're determined to create a better future for Mistress Rin is because you love her, correct?"

My face went red.

Why... Why does everyone keeping bothering me about her?!

Don't they have better things to think about, for crying out loud!

"L... LOVE?! W-What do you know about me?! Why does everyone keep assuming I do things for Rin because I love her?!" I immediately shouted, denying all the images of her face in my head. Blushing and gritting my teeth, I leaned over and glared, "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT! I just... I just care about her, okay? I don't think I could live with myself if I just stand by and watch her get hurt. I just want her to be happy."

Gachapoid sardonically rolled his eyes, "...I see."

"No, you don't!" I argued, clearly seeing past his words. Did he think I was that stupid? "I hate seeing her depressed, so I thought if I could at least try being there for her and telling her she's not just a killer, then she would at least... value herself more." I raised my head and continued in a determined voice, "She just doesn't understand how amazing she is." Gachapoid remained silent. "T-That's why... that's why I need you to come back with me!" Leaning in, I tried to meet his eyes, "The one she really needs right now isn't me." I sourly admitted, closing my eyes, "I've always kept saying to myself that I would be the one to protect her, but I don't even know how!"

A silence.

"But you... you're the only one who can live up to that role! You're a part of her, so who better than you can help her right now?" I forcefully asked, not particularly liking how he immediately looked away, "You know how to protect her, don't you? Right now, you're the only one who knows everything about her! But you ran away-" He immediately opened his mouth to protest, "DON'T LIE!" I shouted, rattling the ropes, "You weren't there when she needed you!" I told him, "So-"

_SHRICKKK!_

Gachapoid ended my sentence with by scratching his claws against the wall, and a screeching noise erupted.

"You think your words can change what I've had to live through?!" Gachapoid's hysterical outburst stunned me into silence. Raspy and unsteady breathing followed after, sounding muffled in the suffocating room. "You're so naïve... so blissfully ignorant, and yet," I heard the robot swallow, "Despite your ignorance, it shields you from everything and keeps you drunk on happiness. You and your kind live off that luxurious belief that the world revolves around you."

Sweat formed at the base of my head, "Wh-What are you saying?"

"You have no ability to save mistress Rin. Protecting someone's life with your own isn't something just anyone can do! Stop taking her so lightly!" Gacha snarled, so unlike his adult-like demeanor, then a strange calm took over his tone, "Just stay as you are, Kagamine. Remain as you always were, and don't interfere anymore. It doesn't matter how you feel about her, just stay out of it. No more." His breathing came in deep, harsh gasps.

I sat up, staring through the shadows.

"Then... you're telling me I should give up?" I asked in a disbelieving tone. I shook my head, trying to convince myself I heard wrong.

"If you really want to do something for Mistress Rin...," the boy murmured, sending me a haunting stare, "then you should experience what I've experienced first." He gestured by displaying himself fully, making my eyes widen in disbelief and horror. I reared back purely out of instinct.

His body...

It looked much worse than I could ever imagine.

The lights glared down at him, revealing what he'd been hiding the whole time we talked. He glared at up me, his arms wide as if receiving something. I shakily stepped back, gasping at his scales and spines.

His mouth was full of jagged, razor-sharp teeth, devouring my shoe, along with other junk he'd been given. He munched casually, gesturing to himself.

"Burn this into your eyes."

He looked more like a monster than a boy. Emerald scales, caked with scars, aboded his arms, legs, and upper torso. Blood stained his clothes. His posture was oddly bent, and he appeared to stagger whenever he tried to walk. I could see his entire spine protruding obscenely from his neck down to a new, mean-looking tail; the appendages looked like jagged knives, about the size of dinner plates. His face and body, they looked so dry and scaly. Speaking of which, his face was marred with bite marks, and chunks of flesh were missing from his body, stitched with chunks of shaped metal.

Most of all, what shocked me were his eyes; they looked so cold and used to witnessing tragedies.

Fear enveloped me. My hands went clammy, and my throat went dry. I couldn't speak, and for the first few moments, I couldn't even move. I just sat there, staring him down as if he were some extinct animal. I felt my entire legs prickle just looking at him. This sight, it was beyond creepy. I... I just didn't know... what happened?!

I hesitated before answering, "I... you're..." I swallowed my words.

The dino-like boy scoffed bitterly, curling his tail, "You can't, can you? You're unwilling to give up some humanity out of a little pity, correct?" Something... was terribly off about this boy. The last time I met him, he seemed less resilent. Now, he appeared even more hostile than before. "Your current paralysis is nothing compared to what I've gone for her. You were lucky."

"What... happened to you?" I finally asked, my eyes reveling in this horrible sight. He looked too young for these changes. It was disturbing, seeing this transformation.

Gachapoid sighed, "In my previous life, I was once like SF-A2 Miki, that girl who attacked you and your friends during your time at the amusement park," He stared up at me, shocking me even further, "I was a Crypton failure." He spun around, revealing the similar imprint Rin had on her back. "I ran away last month so I could locate Rin's grandfather, Masaki Takashi. See, he was once Leon's sponsor, and he has an incredible amount of information about the whereabouts of Leon, along with his plans. So, I sought him out." He turned around again, sighing once more, "But he was in league with a two-faced bastard. They turned me in, and Leon then scheduled me to undergo surgery, Crypton style."

"S-Surgery?"

Gachapoid nodded, swallowing the remains of a radio, "As you can see, I've been 'upgraded'. I now look like a mutated dinosaur." He laughed hollowly, his strange voice echoing, "Isn't it ironic? Years before I met Rin, I wanted to become a dinosaur so I could gnash Crypton Media Future to bits... and I got what I asked for."

I uncomfortably bit the inside of my cheek, "But it's the way you wanted it to be, is it?"

The little boy shook his head, growling somewhat, "In any case, there's no chance that miss Rin wishes to see me like this. She wouldn't recognize me." He lowered his gaze, digging his claw into his arm, digging into the flesh, much to my horror. "I hate this body... it's painful, and my legs feel like horrible blocks of tissue and sore muscle. My skin feels so dry... it's worse when it gets flaky."

My hands shook.

Stop... stop...

A hollow chuckle escaped Gachapoid as he gazed at his claws, bringing them to his face, his smile darkening, "I don't think I could bear it if she looked at me with eyes like yours. She'd deny me, and she'd tell me to stay away. She'd scream and run at the first sign of me." He brought his arms to his chest, trembling, "I can't blame her. Look at me. I'm disgusting... so, there's just no possible way for me to see her again." A heavy, shuddering sigh escaped from the little android as he slumped against the bars of his cage, "It'd be fine for me to just rot here. I'd prefer that than frightening her like this. I'm not the Gacha she knew me as..." He lifted his head, his lips breaking into a painful smile, "I've changed."

Disbelieving, I stared down at him, "Is that all that's holding you back? You're worried about your appearance?!" Gachapoid didn't flinch. "That's ridiculous!" I shouted angrily, clenching the ropes even tighter. "Do you even know what you're saying?!"

"Rin doesn't need me..." Gachapoid sourly replied with a sigh, "She never has. All I've done is scold her, berate her, stress her about the little things. I make a bad nanny." He drew his claws across the wall, adding another scratch to the wall, "I even failed to stop Leon, so now I'm imprisoned here in this... wretched form!"

**CLAANG!**

The cage echoed with vibration from Gachapoid's tiny fists slamming into the bars. He drew back, clenching his teeth.

"I can't even do my job correctly, for Miriam's sake! Why was I born into a tiny, insulting form in order to look after Rin?! It's a mockery! Why did Miriam create me like this?! If she wanted me to properly protect her from Crypton's influence, then she should've known better than to give me a form of a child! No less another form of a goddamn tennis ball!" He screamed, digging his claws into the wall until blood appeared. He kept screaming, swallowed by self-hatred and rage. His cries echoed through the shaft, painfully echoing in my ears. "I'M NOT EVEN BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD HER IN MY ARMS! THIS BODY... MYSELF, INCLUDED! I'VE BEEN EATEN ALIVE BECAUSE OF MY OWN FAILURES!" When he finally stopped, his breathing came in harsh gasps. Sweat poured down his face, dripping into his scars and bruises.

I watched in horror, not realizing I've been holding my breath until he turned on me with wild eyes.

Gachapoid clutched his shoulder, panting and glaring. He looked like a beast out of hell, gritting his teeth and growling in an animal-like manner. His muscles pricked, and an aversive look etched into his face. He grabbed onto the bars of the cage, reaching for me.

"Don't tell me to go back... WHEN I LOOK LIKE THIS!" He shrieked at me, his sanity crumbling. "YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND! IF I GO BACK THEY'LL SWALLOW ME WHOLE! THEY'LL WOLF DOWN MY SKIN AND GNASH MY BONES! YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW PAINFUL IT WAS! MY FACE! MY BODY! THEY TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!" His palms clenched around the bars, violently rattling the cage, "I HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO GO BACK TO! RIN NEVER EVEN LOVED ME! SHE LOVED YOU! YOU! A PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A HUMAN WHO STICKS HIS NOSE INTO OTHER'S AFFAIRS OUT OF HIS OWN DAMNED CUROSITY! I GAVE HER EVERYTHING AND LOOK WHERE IT LANDED ME! _I'M EVEN WORSE OF A MONSTER THAN SHE IS!"_ He tilted at his at a horrible angle, baring his sharp teeth, "Even now, looking at you makes me want to rip you to pieces... and consume you whole." A demented grimace took over his face, and he looked possessed, shaking, "Do you still want me to come with you, Kagamine?" He laughed hollowly, his eyes burning into mine: those tortured eyes. "Even now, do you still want to risk everything you have to protect Rin? You understand now, don't you? What really happens when you decide to truly protect someone..." A hollow laugh echoed throughout the corridor, echoing in my ears, "You'll lose everything."

I could only stare at him helplessly, words stuck in my throat.

The little android... he'd been tortured and beaten for Rin's sake... and here I am, lucky I even got away with a few scratches. This android, this boy... had been reduced to a monstrous... thing. Tears leaked out of his eyes, and he trembled violently as he looked up at me. My eyes widened.

For the first time ever, Gachapoid actually sounded like a kid.

"But I regret nothing." Gachapoid tearfully smiled, which shocked me even further. I've never seen him smile, let alone to me, "I won't ever change... I live for the sake of my mistress. The pain I went through for her... is nothing compared to seeing her suffer."

"You..." I managed.

"But now, look how's she's grown. Already she's rebelling against my advice again and falling in love..." He leaned his head against the bars, smiling tiredly, "Where have those times gone... when she would listen to me? ask me about everything? stuff her face as if there was no tomorrow?" Sitting on the floor, he glanced overhead and coughed, sighing, "M... my job ends here. I especially don't wish to see Rin... after my disgracing defeat."

What...

"All that's left for me is to die... in this place." Gachapoid peacefully smiled, cocking his head back. "No one... needs me anymore."

"HEY! Gachapoid! You're Rin's servant, aren't you?" I shouted angrily, clenching the ropes, "ARE YOUR FEELINGS FOR RIN THAT WEAK?" Confused, Gachapoid glanced up at me, somewhat startled. "Lots of crap happened to us! To everyone! But are you just going to give up and waste all your efforts?! Is this what you really want? Is this what Rin would want?!"

Gachapoid stared at me, disbelieving.

"Don't say that no one needs you, Gachapoid! Rin needs you! I need you! Dell and those NND guys need you!" I shouted heatedly, fists clenching, "Our home needs you, even if they don't realize what's going on! So..." I pleaded, my face contorting into desperation, "Snap out of it!"

Gachapoid shook, curling his knees closer to his chest, "But... I-" his voice sounded strangely tiny, vulnerable even. He swallowed thickly, "Mistress Rin won't recognize me. No one will acknowledge everything I've done... who I am..." He looked down, trembling even harder, "She won't want me by her side like this..."

"That's wrong!" I answered immediately, shaking my head, "She's not like that! You're just afraid, aren't you?" I pressed gently; I frowned at his shrinking frame. "I'm sure the one she needs right beside her is you. You're not unworthy or anything if that's what you're thinking... I mean, going through all of that just for Rin! It's amazing!" I exclaimed, feeling a bit envious myself, "I hate to say this... but you've beaten me by a landslide. You're cool, Gachapoid."

Gachapoid blinked, his claws shuddering, and he looked up at me.

"You... truly mean that?" he asked, his voice sounded small. "Even as I am now?"

My lips trembled into a smile, "Of course."

The rope suddenly snapped, and gravity suddenly grabbed me. With a yell, I tumbled down, grabbing to whatever cords I had left. The fall was hard but nowhere near as bad as it could've been. If it weren't for the soft ground and me hanging onto the rope remnants, I seriously would've broken something. Still, the pain came at me full force.

"AGH!"

Gachapoid's eyes widened, and he crawled towards my aching body.

"A-Are you hurt?"

"Ow, ow ow. N-Not really..." I grimaced painfully, standing on my elbows. My back said otherwise. Dirt caked my face, and I sneezed. Ow. I'm gonna feel this tomorrow morning. I then glanced up at him, seeing him up front... I realized something. "You know, you actually don't look that scary." I gripped the bars of his cage, causing him to tense, and I looked at him directly in the eye. He tried to look away, but I only kept coming closer.

I think I prefer the chastising know-it-all butler than this sad little boy.

Carefully, Gachapoid raised his head, his eyebrows furrowed.

"... This is the first time," he whispered, hesitantly edging closer, "Someone other than miss Rin looked me with undaunted eyes... from behind my cage." My eyes grew wide, then my lips quirked into a small smile.

"Cages don't suit you, y'know." I answered, reaching out for his scaly hand, "Come out. You don't need to stay here in this dark place anymore."

The reptilian boy stared at me through the bars, disbelievingly retreating into the shadows.

"H... How can this be?" he managed, fear swimming in his eyes, "You're human! You're supposed to be selfish! Rational! You're supposed to look out only for yourself! That's only the way humans have ever acted! Because of them, we all got hurt! Because of them, we-!" My face hardened, and I reached for him again. "N-NO! Get away-!" Tears broke his voice.

In a flash, I pulled both of his arms forward, looking him straight in the eye.

I saw everything: the pain, the sadness, and the torture in his marred face. His wrists were surprisingly small, and I couldn't help feeling my heart wrench as he gritted his teeth, shame bubbling in his eyes. He hated being seen like this, weak and exposed. He didn't like how my eyes took in every disfigured part of his body.

"Rin is really lucky..." I looked up with my eyes burning in envy and awe, "to have a friend like you."

Gachapoid blinked slowly, eyes widening as he looked down, "F... Friend..." he echoed the words as if it were sacred. He looked nostalgic, breathing, "Friend..." He kept repeating to himself, trying to absorb the word. I exhaled sharply, my hands slowly tightening around his wrists but not enough to cut off his circulation. A sharp exhale escaped from him. His eyes suddenly shot open, and he shook, which looked unnatural. His face went white.

I stared at him, confused, "W-What's wrong?"

"M-My sensors... t-they're running wild." He hissed painfully, clutching his chest, but he still managed to talk, "Mistress Rin is nearby. She's running at large."

My eyes went wide.

Rin...?

My face hovered near his, making sure he wasn't lying. I'd pound his face in first.

He better not be...

I haven't seen her in weeks, and it hurts. It really hurts... not seeing her.

Dammit, I miss her.

"You want to see her, don't you?" I suddenly spoke, surprised by the longing in my soft voice. I wasn't sure if I was really asking Gachapoid, but I already knew my own answer, so I turned to him and met his blinking eyes. Without another moment, I reached my hand out to his. "Let's go and see her. Together." I told him solemnly, "Let's go home." Gachapoid blinked. "You're coming with me," I told him firmly, taking his hand in mine, "Whether you like it or not."

In an instant, Gachapoid reared back and yanked his arms out of my grasp, causing me to blink, "You're acting awfully familiar with me, touching me so casually." He stood up and brushed off his starchy overalls, his resolve returning. He frowned seriously at me, "Next time, refrain yourself."

"Er...?" I twitched, confused by this recovery. I didn't have time to properly react when Gachapoid suddenly bared his teeth and claws, snarling fiercely. I froze.

W-HUH?!

_**SHRICCK!**_

The iron bars sliced open, falling in shambles. Gachapoid's fangs closed around the final bar, snapping it like a pencil, no... it was more like crunching bones. My mouth hung open, and I looked up from my uncomfortable position, trying to get up as he stepped out.

"The main reason why I'm marred like this...," he sighed, straightening his crumpled tie, "is because I was teething then, so I couldn't even defend myself from those bratty failures." He seemed a little taller as he yanked my chair upright and assisted me into it none too gently. He picked up an iron pipe and crushed it between his razor-sharp teeth, gnashing it to bits nosily. He swallowed, his throat momentarily bulging. "I'll go for their throats the next time I see them."

Curious as to what he was staring at, I followed his gaze and gasped.

Why hadn't I realized it sooner?

This elevator shaft... it was completely empty. We were inside a pit the entire time.

"RRAAWAR!" Unsheathing his claws, Gachapoid launched himself and began to climb. He jumped from wall to wall, climbing in rapid progression. His boots barely slipped against the stone, and with a rapturous roar, he jumped onto the net and tore everything up. He bit wherever he saw fit, tearing the mesh into shreds. I watched from below, breathing heavily as I watched him mold the netting into a long, dangling rope held together by complicated knots.

He landed next to me with a loud thump, not hesitating to secure my wheelchair by rope. He made sure not to constrict me too tightly after securing me to the wheelchair. After making sure everything was sturdy, he climbed back up the shaft. Once he reached the platform, he made sure to pull me up.

It took a while, and I hadn't exercised in a while, but once I finally made it to the top, I threw my arms up in relief.

"Thank God!" I collapsed against the back of my chair, sighing, "I was starting to think I'd be stuck there forever." I didn't have time to relax when Gachapoid whisked me away, but not before forcing the doors shut with his claws. I yelped, squirming in my chair as he practically speeded me down the aisle. I was still tied up, for crying out loud!

"H-Hey! You mind slowing down?! I'm in a wheelchair for a reason!" I shouted, my hands clenching around my armrests.

"I apologize, but there's no time to waste." Gachapoid simply replied, jerking left and causing me to nearly slam against my side, "We must find miss Rin. Besides, considering you survived rounds of her electrocution, I'd say you have a surprisingly high tolerance for pain, don't you think?" The lights flashed before my eyes, and an overwhelming dizziness overcame me. I clenched my teeth.

"W-Whatever." I groaned, holding onto my head.

The headaches weren't over after all.

We speeded down the corridor, where people jumped out of our way and gawked at us in surprise. Some of them pointed at us, clutching their ruffled clothes and belongings. Gachapoid's footsteps thundered as we wheeled down the flight of stairs, and I clutched my heart as if it were about to burst. I heard loud shouting and cheering coming from outside, so I craned my head to see what was going on through the windows.

"Mistress Rin... she'll be arriving... here!" Gachapoid gasped, immediately turning in the said direction, causing me to clench the armrests even tighter.

"YAGH!"

We crashed through the rotating doors and right outside where a crowd of my classmates could be seen a few yards away. They were shouting and jumping, it looked like, and some of them were holding up cameras.

"CHICK FIGHT!"  
"HOLY SHIT NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL ACTION!"

I rose my brow, squinting through the snow. Gachapoid tensed behind me.

"No good. Mistress is somewhere beyond this crowd, but I don't wish to get caught up in the massive crowd. What is going on over there, for Miriam's sake?" His frustration matched mine, and I tried to look for a clearing; there wasn't any. I spotted an elevated incline, one that overlooked everything in the courtyard. I quickly pointed it out.

"Hey, let's go up there. Maybe we can see what's going on."

Not wasting another moment, Gachapoid wheeled up there. Grabbing the banisters, I leaned in and looked below. I did a double take and rubbed my eyes, wondering if I was seeing things.

"HRAAAAAGH!"

Meiko shouted as they both ran towards each other. With a violent thrust, the sword went flying out of Miku's hands, and Meiko attempted to pummel her. Her hits ended up striking the floor, desks, or Miku's blocking arms. The agent moved like a panther across the pavement, avoiding most of Meiko's wrathful blows.

_THWACK! THWACK THWACK!_

"You two-faced brat!" Meiko successfully knocked her down after charging, earning a short cry from the junior.

My mouth fell open.

You've got to be kidding me!

"MIKU! MEIKO-NEE!" I screamed but to no avail. Our play cast was too noisy.

"UGH...!" I nearly gasped when Miku staggered, and for a moment, I thought it was over. Suddenly, Miku shot up and harshly brought her fists up, connecting with Meiko-nee's jaw as a double uppercut. A loud grunt escaped from my childhood friend and babysitter, allowing to Miku follow up with a series of punches. With a violent grunt, Meiko-nee was finally knocked back. She immediately held up her arms to block out her blows. Their sneakers grated against the floor as they fought.

"Both of you! CUT THAT OUT!" I screamed with all my might, gripping and shaking the banister in attempt to grab their attention. It didn't work. Even though a few people looked up at me in surprise, those girls didn't hear me and kept throwing fists. Sweating frantically, I turned to Gachapoid, "Hey, come on! Do something!"

Gachapoid blinked at me, startled, "M-Me?"

Miku's rapturous shout reverberated, following up with heavy blows. I snapped my attention back to them, horrified to witness what was happening. Their swords had clattered to the ground, and they were now beating each other up ruthlessly. They were snarling, biting, clawing, and pulling each other's hair. Miku grappled Meiko by the collar, striking her multiple times across the face. Rearing back, the brunette's hands closed around Miku's jacket and lurched forward.

"Yes!" I shouted at Gachapoid, my face contorting into desperation, "They're not only my friends, but Rin's! How do you think she'll feel if she sees them fighting like this?"

Gachapoid flinched, looking extremely hesitant.

"HA! YOU HIT LIKE A GIRL, HATSUNE!"

"STUPID MEIKO! THAT'S 'CAUSE I AM A GIRL! WHAT'S YOUR EXUCSE!?"

Pained grunts elicited from both girls as their heads butted from Meiko's attack. Swearing, Miku clutched her head and glared nastily at Meiko as she staggered back. Meiko hissed through clenched teeth, shoulders hunched and body racking with heaving gasps. Her knees shook under her weight, and a large cut formed on her forehead.

"What's wrong, Meiko?" Miku snapped relentlessly, panting. She brought up her fists defiantly, "Had enough?" Meiko scowled darkly, popping her knuckles. She wiped the blood from her mouth, looking at Miku like she'd become a murderer. Charging towards her with a cry, Meiko yanked Miku forward and forced her into falling with her, shooting her legs up and connecting with Miku's gut.

"MIKU! MEIKO-NEE!" I screamed, horrified. Ignoring Gachapoid, I flung myself over the banisters, shrieking their names. Idiots! Why are they doing this? They looked like they really wanted to kill each other.

Everyone screamed as Miku went flying backwards. Her back met the concrete, and she hit her head, earning disgusted shudders.

Why? Why does everyone have to keep fighting each other like this? Aren't we in the same boat? the same side?

I lowered my head, unable to watch much longer. Hearing them curse and beat each other like this, what was it they were trying to prove? Again, why do they have to fight like this?! We should be on the same side!

What about us?!

My fists clenched at my sides as I trembled, losing my thoughts to the endless noise. How long was this going to keep going on? Seeing my friends keep fighting each other, seeing everyone get hurt... how long am I supposed to keep watching all of this while being so weak?

The clamor, spewing insults, and heavy hits suffocated my ears. All at once, painful memories resurfaced.

And what about the rest of us?

Kaito, Dell, Mom, Professor Kamui, Kaiko, Megurine, Kasane, the NND... all of them... their faces.

What about what we want?!

"That's it...!" I muttered angrily, clenching my fists and raising my head. All at once, I forced myself up from my chair and leaned over the banister, shouting at the top of my lungs. "YOU BOTH SUCK!"

Gachapoid's eyes widened, "Kagamine..."

"JUST SAYING WHATEVER YOU WANT AND DOING WHATEVER YOU WANT! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT WE WANT?! STOP DECIDING THINGS ON YOUR OWN!"

They still couldn't hear me.

Frustrated, I slammed my fists against the fencing around me, cursing.

"Shit!"

"Meiko! MEIKO! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!" Kaito's voice reverberated throughout the crowd. Surprised, I looked up and saw him rushing into the circle, pushing people past alongside his friends. He looked incredibly mad. Kasane and Megurine were right behind him.

"Meiko-senpai!"

"Meiko!"

"STAY OUT OF THIS!" Meiko-nee snapped, shoving past our friends and charging and Miku again. She launched herself at her with a furious shriek. Miku, panting, stayed on her feet and knocked her aside. "URGHH!" Meiko-nee stumbled, clutching her lower abdomen and cursing. She hissed in pain while glaring at Miku. "I'll definitely stop you..." she spat, wiping the blood from her brow. "EVEN IF IT MEANS BREAKING EVERY BONE IN YOUR BODY!"

"Ms. Haku! MS. HAKU OVER HERE!"

"You're just a violent delinquent!" Miku shrieked.

"It's better than what you are! You're a backstabbing coward because you only think about yourself!" Meiko-nee shrieked, slamming a boot into her stomach and rearing forward, "Hurting others and playing as the victim! You always do this! Acting like this because you can't have what you want, isn't that right?!"

Kaito's shouting did no good to anyone's ears, as the people kept pushing each other to get a closer look. Megurine and Kasane remained huddled in the sidelines, watching Meiko-nee in terror.

"I'm doing what's best for Rin! I am not the traitor you think I am, Meiko!" Grabbing Meiko-nee by the arm, Miku threw her over her shoulder, who landed on the ground harshly. Miku hovered over her, preparing to deliver the final blow. "It's not what you think! I WOULD NEVER SEND ANYONE TO THEIR DEATH!"

"GET... OFF ME!" Meiko-nee practically sent her flying, causing her to stumble a few steps. Her face was beet red as she panted nosily, shaking in her steps. "You never liked Rin. You liar. Liar liar LIAR!" She kicked snow in her face, "If you're doing it because you hate her then say it!" She pushed her backwards again, "SAY IT!"

I froze.

H-Hate... Rin?

Miku... hates Rin?

I mean, I knew that they never got along, but...

What's going on?

A breeze shook me, and I instinctively turned to see what caused it. My jaw dropped as I witnessed Gachapoid leap down from the flight of stairs and land right between Miku and Meiko-nee, effectively stopping their blows by grabbing onto their offending wrists, swiftly taking them down hard.

"KYAAA!"

"URRF!"

They now lay in the snowy grass, the wind knocked out of them. Dazed and too shocked to move, they remained laying there. A hush befell everyone as Gachapoid slowly straightened himself, revealing his face.

"W-Whoaa..."

"Who's that?'

"Is that... a dinosaur? wait! it's a boy?!"

Whispers audibly pierced the air, making everyone take several steps back. The little android simply stood there, sighing at this feedback. He looked down at Meiko-nee and Miku, who were still shocked by his sudden interference.

"W...Who are you?" Miku asked, on her hands and knees as she openly gaped at him. Her eyes bulged at his scales and spines, "No. What are you?"

Gachapoid unsheathed his claws, staring down at them, "If what Kagamine said is true, then you humans are awfully bad influences to be Mistress's friends." he stated in a cold voice, his claws gleaming in the sunlight, "Anyone who harms Mistress Rin will find out what pain really is."

My eyes widened.

Wait, no! That's not what he's supposed to say-!?

Rapid footsteps crunched against the snow, along with soft panting.

"E...everyone..."

A soft voice reverberated throughout the air. My eyes widened as I witnessed someone approach from the opposite gates. Megurine, Kaito, and Kasane all looked up, their faces becoming shocked. A sharp exhale escaped from Gachapoid as he turned in a direction, his entire form going rigid. The crowd immediately parted, growing silent.

I gasped, craning my neck, "Rin..."

Her head was down as she staggered forward, swallowing air. Rin approached the clearing, her clothes damp with snow and her entire form shivering from the cold. She trembled, her eyes meeting everyone else's. She looked incredibly confused and sad. She looked at everyone one by one until her eyes finally dropped on Meiko's and Miku's trembling forms.

Her eyes grew big. She finally gazed at Gachapoid, who had froze on the spot. Her facial expression resembled confusion, and she cautiously moved forward. Gazing down at the little boy, she scrunched her nose thoughtfully. The cuffs binding her hands had rubbed her raw, and her skin was left red.

Rin...

My heart skipped a beat, and I clutched my throbbing chest. She looked like she'd been running for ages, and her face and skin looked incredibly red from the cold. There she walked in her glory, in that strange hospital gown Kaiko-nee makes her wear.

A relieved smile broke out on my face. It hurt my face, but I could really care less. I inhaled sharply, feeling my knees grow weak at the sight of her, which was funny considering my current state.

Finally... I finally get to see her...

My smile widened as I watched her stare at Gachapoid with that soft, curious expression.

I missed that look...

My hand reached out towards her, and I realize just how much I missed holding her-

"Are you..." Her lips parted, and she hesitated, stepping closer, "Gachapoid?" The said boy warily met her eyes, and he looked like he wanted to say something until realizing his own appearance. Shamefully, he averted his eyes and tried to hide his claws from her sight. He didn't answer. Breathing steadily, she neared him, "A... Are you Gacha?" Her voice sounded so small, so hopeful. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. He flinched. "You're really him, aren't you?" She whispered, reaching out for him.

"Stay back." His croaky voice broke the silence, and he immediately moved away, not looking at her, "You'll..." he trembled before taking another deep breath, "get dirty if you touch me."

Rin stared at him, surprised by these words.

"W-What's going on...?" Someone asked from the crowd. Ms. Haku, along with several other students finally arrived, stopping once they saw Rin. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Ms. Haku was staring at them with pure disbelief.

Rin's face crumpled into tears, much to my horror. Her shoulders began to shake, and she started to sniffle.

"Rin-" I started hurriedly, my arms moving the wheels in a flurry. I was about to call her again until-

"Gacha! GACHAA!" With a cry resembling a baby lion's, she closed the space between them and flung her arms around the scaly little boy, sinking to her knees and burying her head into his shoulder. She broke down in sobs, clutching his clothes and constantly feeling him as if he would disappear any moment. Her eyes, wide with bubbling tears, trembled with uncontained mirth and relief.

Gachapoid stood there, frozen in disbelief, "Mis...tress..."

"I WANTED TO SEE YOU!" She bawled, her voice breaking as she clutched him closer. The spines on his back appeared to dig into her arms, but it didn't look like she cared. If the situation weren't so serious, the sight would've looked strange. An older girl, bawling like a baby, holding onto a precocious child less than half her size. Her hands clenched around his matted clothes, and she squeezed the life out of him.

Gachapoid let out a breathless cry, whether it was from the bone-crushing hug or her words, I didn't know. But anyone could see his disbelief slowly turning into tearful elation. His arms trembled as he slowly returned her hug, but his eyes appeared out of focus. He didn't look at her, and it looked like he was trying to grasp the situation, convincing himself this wasn't a dream.

"G-Gacha... Nnnn..." Rin sobbed, closing her eyes, "I-I'm sorry... After all this time I've d-done nothing but h-h-hurt you... I know I did. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." The rest of her words were barely coherent. "...d-done so much for me... selfish... m-me!" A fresh batch of tears appeared in her guilty-ridden eyes, and her entire body went slack from constant crying. She clung to him like a little girl.

Gachapoid couldn't answer, and he simply held her. He just held her silently. He looked very stony, but he still wouldn't say anything. Miku and Meiko-nee slowly got to their feet, bewildered as they watched this reunion. No one else said anything.

"W-Why...?" Rin gasped, shakily withdrawing so she could see his face. Staring at his supposed mistress, Gachapoid finally sighed regrettably.

"Please compose yourself, mistress Rin. We are in public, after all-" Rin suddenly grabbed him and pushed her head against his chest, shaking. He gasped, slightly winded from the impact.

"Why didn't you tell me you were unhurt?!" Her voice broke, and she lowered her head even further, "I-I searched everywhere for you!"

"Did you?" Gachapoid sounded surprised before his expression softened, "You're infantile as ever, mistress." he said softly, "It wasn't in my best interests to be found by you... especially like this." He gestured to himself with another sigh. Rin sniffled, raising her head to meet his eyes. He finally smiled though he looked insecure, "I wanted to stop your father... the company, but... I failed you." He then lowered his head, whispering in shame, "Forgive me for appearing to you as I am."

Rin looked surprised, and tears bubbled out of her eyes.

It pains me to see her like this. I smiled bitterly, slowly raising myself off the banister. Even though I'm happy for that android, I couldn't help my negative feelings surfacing to life. It seems every time I see her, she's always crying.

A wave of understanding overwhelmed Rin. A small smile appeared as she laughed, her hand trembling as she cupped his cheek.

"Gachapoid looks different, but he's still so kind and chastising." she hiccupped, her smile broadening. A tear ran down her cheek, which Gachapoid brushed away. A pang of envy hit me. I tried to ignore it and watched on. "You really did those things for me? Really?" she smiled when he didn't answer, and she hugged him again, "I'm sorry, Gacha. I didn't know... to think I've been so unkind to you, and yet you protected me with the best intentions."

"M-Miss..."

"No one can call you a failure for that." Rin answered with a huge smile. It was like seeing the sun clear up a rainy day. "You really are my dearest friend..." she managed, looking so happy that she started crying again, and she pulled him into a fierce embrace. Gachapoid appeared shell-shocked and speechless. "I don't deserve a friend such as you." Her hands shook and managed in a whispering voice, "I love you very much."

Gachapoid's eyes went wide with disbelief. Those words were magic. In an instant, all sorrow and regret melted away from his little face. His pain disappeared, and he suddenly looked healthier than ever. His face went red. His lips trembled, and tears trickled down his face. It was as if he'd been waiting a long time to hear those words from Rin. His composed mask fell away. Letting go of all his dignity, he promptly threw his arms around Rin's neck and squeezed her.

"I..." he managed, gulping soundly, "I... love you, too..."

"Rin...! KAGAMINE RIN I SWEAR YOU WON'T-!" The NND came bursting in, looking determined with their nets ready. They suddenly stopped upon seeing Gachapoid, shocked to move, especially Iroha. Professor Kamui shortly followed after.

Iroha's eyes watered, "R-Ryuto...?"

Megurine gasped when she saw our professor, her hands flying up to her mouth. Kasane looked away from this sight. Miku shakily got to her feet and looked incredibly uncomfortable by this entire ordeal.

"Well, it looks like everyone's here." Someone casually stated from behind me, causing me to turn around in surprise. It was Hatsune. Smilingly, he glanced at me, "Shouldn't you join them?"

I stared, "You... when did you get here?"

"Such trivialities shouldn't concern you." Hatsune laughed before rolling me down the platform despite my protests. Didn't the scene mean anything to him? It wasn't my time to barge in, besides. T-This wasn't my ideal way to suddenly join in when someone else is having a moment! For crying out loud, I'm really alienated right now!

"H-Hey, wait a s-!" All eyes fell on me, and the crowd parted for me and Hatsune to pass. I stiffened, trying my best not to look at anyone as I was forced through by a humming Hatsune. He appeared unfazed by all this attention, even when the NND and Miku shot him disbelieving looks. Finally we came to the clearing where Rin and Gachapoid were. As if sensing my presence, Rin glanced up.

Our eyes met.

Rin's smile collapsed.

Something sharp pierced my heart as I looked at Rin, swallowing the lump in my throat. My face grew a thousand degrees redder, and my muscles started prickling. My arms turned into jello. My throat closed up, and my cheeks were burning as if I'd been in an oven. My heart started racing.

"Len...?"

Oh god, her voice. The way she said my name-! It sounded so... the way she said it just sent a hundreds of arrows through my heart. Jesus... Jesus!

Feeling my face burn, I embarrassedly turned away. I swallowed. Oh, c'mon, Len. I've been through soccer matches that required more energy and motivation to get through, and I've had to glare my way past rival members, but for some annoying reason, I just couldn't even look this one girl in the eye!

What happened to my manly confidence?

WHERE IS IT?!

Inhaling sharply, I dared to look back and was instantly with her flushed face and big blue eyes.

I almost drowned in those eyes-WAH?

"R..." I clenched my teeth, forcing myself to speak, "Rin..." Despite my pounding heart, I finally made eye contact. She looked me over, her eyes widening as she took in my form. Horror crossed her features as she slowly stood.

"Everyone! Back to practice. Seminars are officially over!" Ms. Haku announced, smiling as if nothing weird had happened. Everyone turned to her, surprised. "I mean it. There's nothing left to see. Please move along." She ushered the students in the building, who reluctantly headed inside, rubbing their heads in total confusion.

"Weird, man..."

"Did you get what was going on?"

"Why did she show up like that anyway? In cuffs?"

Kaito, Kasane, and Megurine still stood in their places, staring at us hesitantly. The NND hurried them in another direction, but not before shooting Gachapoid a pensive stare, which he nodded as reply. Iroha quickly knelt beside Rin, taking away her handcuffs without a word. Professor Gakupo took Megurine gently by the arm, which she started protesting against, and he gently reassured her. Biting her lower lip, she glanced at me questioningly.

I sighed, starting for the doors until Mikuo grabbed me by the chair.

"You have five minutes." he simply told me before gesturing to Rin and Gachapoid. He smiled at Gachapoid, only to receive a murderous snap of his teeth. Chortling, he left. Miku, gasping, attempted to rush after him.

"Wa-! MIKUO!" She shouted, only to be stopped by Ms. Haku.

"Ah, Hatsune-san. You're not going anywhere right now..." Despite her gentle voice, anyone could tell how angry she was. With her other hand, she grabbed Meiko-nee by the collar. "We may not be on school grounds, but that doesn't mean the rules are any different around here. Our actions reflect what Seija character is..." Her fists clenched around them in vice-like grips, and her smile looked positively eerie. "Understand?"

My friends shuddered at this sight, but Miku still attempted to speak.

"But Ms. Haku, you don't understand." she gasped breathlessly, "I-I need to talk to Mi-!"

"Friendly little chats can wait in the meantime, don't you think?" Ms. Haku, unfazed, started to pull them along, "Let's have some coffee and talk about what happened today." Meiko glanced over her shoulder, smiling a little at Rin before reluctantly trudging off. "Kagamines?" the white-haired woman called over her shoulder, making us perk to attention. She smiled. "Make that ten minutes." With that, they left.

It occurred to me that the only ones left were Rin and Gachapoid. Shakily, Rin approached me before hesitating and immediately retreating. I stared at her, confused and somewhat rejected. I tried not to let it bother me as I cleared my throat.

"Why are you here, Rin?"

"L... Len..." She finally managed between sniffles, gazing up at me with the saddest eyes I've ever seen. She looked so tragic, in fact, that I swore I felt my heart crack at this display. I died a little on the inside. "I'm sorry!" She blubbered, her hands clenching around her chest, as if the pain was too much to bear, "But because of me... you can't even walk! I-I..." she lowered her head, "I shouldn't even be here..." For a moment, she reached out for me again before immediately retracting her hand.

I shook my head at this reaction, frowning even more, "Why are you always putting yourself down? It was my choice to approach you, and none of this," I gestured to my wheelchair, "is your fault."

Rin's expression became even sadder, "You don't need to say such kind things anymore, Len. I already know how much I hurt everyone." She lifted her eyes, tilting her head at me, "But even despite that... Len cried for me." My eyes went wide. She actually remembered that? She looked at her hands, holding them close to her chest, "Your hands felt so warm."

"Rin..."

"Why did you protect me? Why did you come after me?" Rin asked in a surprisingly calm voice, and she looked at me sadly. She clenched the hem of her dress, "Telling me I'm not a monster, that my life should be happier, reaching out to me even though it was painful... but not only that," Sniffles broke her voice, "You cared for me, tried to understand me, and telling me that I wasn't alone anymore... and trying to stop Lily. A-And even promising me that," Her eyes searched mine as if dying to know the answer, "you would always be with me forever and protect me."

My fists slowly unclenched, and I let out a breath I didn't know I was even holding.

Rin tilted her head at me, terribly confused, "Why have you done all those things for me after all this time? I cannot compre-" Without even meaning to, I lurched forward, startling both Rin and myself as I grabbed both her hands. Her hands... they felt so cold but soft. I brought them to my lips, inhaling her citric scent. Finally, I turned them over and kissed her palms, breathing against her fingers.

Gachapoid scoffed a little, turning to Rin, "Does that answer your question?" Rin blinked, startled and confused. She looked down at me before glancing at Gachapoid again.

"...No."

I frowned, tightening my hold on her. "Really, Rin?" I tugged a little at her hands, finally getting her attention. I brought her hands directly to my heart, intertwining our fingers, "You still don't get it? You still don't know what my heart was trying to tell you?"

Rin immediately looked guilty, "But I-"

In an instant, I pulled her into my arms, forcing her head against my chest. Surprised, Rin's first reaction was to leap away, but I held her still.

"Len... you're shaking." Rin stated softly, surprised, and she leaned even further into my chest, "Your..." she hesitated before speaking, "Your heart is beating so fast..." Confused, she gazed up at me, her eyes widening even further. She cupped my face with both hands. "Your face is red... why?"

I gritted my teeth.

Why, she asks. Why, why, why?! Doesn't she know already?! Hasn't she figured it out by now?!

"Don't you know the answer?!" My voice sounded so angry, and without even realizing it, I grabbed Rin's shoulders. I glared into her eyes, "It's so obvious to everyone else, but you still haven't-?" A sharp sound erupted from the back of Gachapoid's throat, and he stood by, staring me down. I immediately clamped my mouth shut, shaking my head at myself. Getting mad at Rin wouldn't do any good... patience... patience, Len.

I took a deep breath, "Rin..."

Rin blinked. "L-Len?"

I looked at her dead in the eye, "What am I to you?" Rin froze up, and she lowered her gaze while biting her lower lip. She looked worried. A red flush painted across her cheeks as she started clenching the hem of my coat, nuzzling her face into my lap.

Embarrassed, I cleared my throat, "H-Hey, what's with that reaction?"

"Of course, Len is very important to me..." she replied into my lap, cringing as she looked at me again, frowning. She hesitantly sighed, "But if I say Len is my friend, then I feel as though Len will get angry again, and you might distance yourself from me again." I cringed at the memory when she'd confronted me about me avoiding her. I wish she hadn't brought that up. Tilting her head at me, she whispered, "If you don't want to be my friend, then why have you done all those kind things for me... ?"

Why...?

_"I love you very much."_

I sighed, closing my eyes. I wished I'd been the one she'd said those words to. I glanced over at Gachapoid, feeling a little envious despite myself. Lucky guy.

"Because," I started, staring directly into her eyes, surprising her. A pretty blush spread across her face as she drew back. I frowned at this and grabbed her arms, forcing her to look into my eyes. She inhaled sharply, trembling like a frightening rabbit. I smiled sourly, leaning closer. So close, in fact, that our lips nearly touched. "you're the reason why I want to become strong. You just don't know how much you've done for me."

"B-But I've done nothing!" Rin protested, clasping my hands in hers, "Why would you want to protect someone who brings you nothing but pain?"

"I don't mind if it's you." I firmly answered, smiling a little. She widened her eyes in surprise at this. I don't care what happens to me, really. She'd probably cry if I told her that, but it's true. The reason why I kept chasing after Rin is because I just can't afford to see her leave. I shook my head with a sigh. I stared into her melancholy face. I yearned that she'd be able to smile again.

Remembering her smile... it just made me realize how much I've always wanted to protect someone like her.

_Ever since I was a kid._

"I... I..." Rin managed, clinging onto me, and she shook her head.

"You sure like to worry, don't you, Rin?" I muttered, our fingers intertwining. I somehow found the courage to meet her gaze again. "I guess it's only a Rin thing to do."

Rin opened her mouth to say something.

"Mistress..." Gachapoid drawled, not caring that he interrupted our moment. He glanced at her with a slight frown, but that didn't mean he was displeased. "It's not cordial to interrupt someone when they are speaking."

Look who's talking.

Mentally rolling my eyes, I did my best not to laugh at the irony.

"Look here." I emphasized by hugging her, sighing into her shoulder. I started playing with her hair. It's been so long since I've touched her like this. It felt so good... so right. The way her body fit perfectly around my arms, it just felt like I was born to just hold her like this. She felt so warm. I breathed into the crook of her neck, causing her to shiver. My heart jolted at the sight. "I could give you a bunch of reasons why I want to protect you, but the thing is," I swallowed nervously, "I don't need any of them. I want to protect Rin... just because."

"Len..."

"I'm sorry for not living up to that promise like I should have. I'm so, so sorry." I whispered, holding her even closer. "Were you lonely, Rin?" There was a silence. She seemed to freeze up, and I panicked. "Rin? Are you okay?" In reply, she clutched onto my jacket, sniffling against my chest. She curled even closer to me, trying to contain her crying. I grew even more worried.

Suddenly, all at once, she flung her arms around me in a fierce embrace, trembling like a rabbit. My wheelchair flew backwards, and I was forced to put on the brakes so we wouldn't keep moving. Once I opened my eyes, a forest of blonde hair nearly choked me to death.

I couldn't breathe. Who cares?

Rin already leaves me breathless.

Rin hiccuped, drawing back and longingly staring into my eyes. Fresh tears poured down her cheeks as she cupped both sides of my face, sniffling even more. She hiccuped. Her emotions were overwhelming her again that she couldn't even speak. She wailed, using her fists to wipe her eyes. My eyes momentarily widened before softening, and I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close. She crawled into my lap, her knees on either sides of my thighs. (Hm... this probably isn't good for rehab, but who cares. I can't feel anything.)

"I'm right here, Rin." I grumbled without even meaning to, shushing her gently, "Hm? Just say whatever you want to say. I'll listen."

Rin sobbed, hugging me again, "I... cling to you! Bother you!"

Frowning, I rubbed the back of my head embarrassedly, "Don't decide those things on your own."

I like your attention...

She sniffed, "I injured... K-Kaito... and the others."

"They'll be fine." I told her whilst rolling my eyes. I mean, did you see Kaito and Meiko-nee running around earlier? Jeez.

"M-Miku... despises me." I hesitated. Well, it's been pretty awkward to be in the same room as her lately, considering that she's been a spy and that she tried to kill Rin more than once. Hm.

"She... has problems." Was all I could come up with.

"Len avoided me! Hurt me!" She managed between deep gasps, "... we can't be friends?" I cringed as if she'd slapped me. Agh. Not this again.

I sighed, awkwardly rubbing her back, "I-I didn't mean it. I'm sorry..." I hesitated before sighing again, "Dell and professor Gakupo wanted you to become more independent, so I was told to distance myself from you."

Gachapoid appeared to tense, muttering under his breath, "Not like that, fools..."

Rin hiccupped, holding onto me like a teddy bear, "C-Childish, eats too much..., not cute." My eyes went wide. Wait wait. Is she talking about herself?

"Cute is an understatement of the year!" I shouted and reeled back, glaring at her with all that I had, "You're more than cute, Rin! I like watching you eat because it means you have a healthy appetite! You don't need to hear the obvious, but fine! You're so pretty that I can't believe you're even real!" I leaned in so close that our foreheads almost touched, frowning, "If you won't believe me, then I'll say it to you until you accept it!" I took a deep breath, "You're beautiful, and you're the prettiest girl I've ever met. Your eyes and hair and nose..." Without even meaning to, I kissed her on the nose, reveling her surprised gasp as I pulled away. "Who cares if you're childish? I like you that way."

Rin hesitated, and she stared at me in shock. Her fingers slowly touched the spot where I kissed her. Then her eyes watered again.

"Len..."

"You okay, Rin?" I immediately asked before I could stop myself. Dumb question, Len. Of course a girl can't be alright if she's crying in your arms! Stupid. I am so stupid. I gritted my teeth, restraining myself from bashing my head against the ground. Instead, I tried again, nudging her a little. "What else do you want to say? You can tell me anything."

If anything, Rin cried even harder, clinging to me with all her might.

Shit. That sounded a lot better in my head. What am I, her best girl friend?

"O-Okay, um, do you want to go inside? You're freezing." I tried nudging her again, stroking her hair. I attempted to smile, but it didn't feel right seeing her look so devastated. "Er... wanna watch Sailor Moon?"

Why am I so bad at cheering people up?

I was at my wit's end. I tried getting her to talk, but nothing seemed to be working. Finally, I turned to Gachapoid as a last resort, but he only stood there as if everything was normal.

"I missed you." Rin whispered against the shell of my ear, making my spine tingle, and she had somehow managed to wrap her arms around my neck when I wasn't looking. She looked into my eyes again, sniffling. "I missed you so much."

Time stopped for me, just like the first time we met. That night Kaito carried you home in that storm was the beginning of our story.

She... wanted to see me that badly?

I glanced at the top of her shiny head, and my eyes narrowed as I brought her further into my arms to the point where our bodies melded together. I kissed her nose again, then her hands, and finally...

Rin was caught off-guard by my sudden assault as I took hold of her wrists, gently pulling her in. The snow continued falling around us, and the wind whispered its gentle condolences. I looked into her eyes, my hands slowly sliding to her back. My muscles jumped as she tilted her head, breathing softly. I swallowed, the wind barely cooled my face.

"R-Rin...?" I asked, stroking my thumb across her lips. She blinked in realization before smiling, unaware of the effect it had on me: my mind went numb.

"Len..." She closed her eyes, nodding very slightly.

Gradually, I closed my eyes and leaned into her, and she followed suit. All I could hear was the sound of my heart, and somehow, knowing that she was okay with this... I felt so relaxed. My lips met hers. They were even more tender than I remembered, softer than petals and sweet as honey. Kissing her had never felt this good, the way she moved against me made my heartbeat increase tenfold. Her lashes brushed my cheek, and her warm hands gently pulled at my locks.

I couldn't help myself. My arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her further in, and she threaded her hands into my hair, loosening my ponytail and causing my hair to become loose. She trembled, and I only held her closer.

The wind breathed right where we were, and the snow didn't seem that cold anymore.

At that moment, I knew.

Rin... this is all your fault.

I'm going crazy because of you. You're probably going to get me killed, but who cares. I don't. We parted all too soon due to loss of oxygen. For once, I actually cursed oxygen. I breathed against her lips, staring pensively into her eyes. Again, she blinked at me, tilting her head.

"Don't ever... hide your pain like that again." I told her very seriously, my hands tightening around her shoulders. "If you ever feel like crying, then you can tell me what's wrong- _really_." I emphasized before she could utter another word. "Do that or I'll punish you."

She squirmed, causing a certain... _area_ below my jugular to tighten. I inhaled sharply, my blood turning into liquid fire.

"By... kissing me?" She asked curiously, shyly meeting my eyes as she touched my lips again. My face burned a thousand degrees hotter, and my lips tingled from her touch. This girl... she's really going to be the death of me.

I coughed to hide my embarrassment, "UM! That wouldn't be punishing you!" I then grinned, shaking my head, "Seriously though. I'll be here for you... so just come to me whenever you feel like it." Our foreheads were touching, and she blinked in surprise as our noses bumped. "I wanna stay with you." I told her firmly, mesmerized by her big blues.

She hesitated, "Are you certain?"

I nodded firmly.

"You won't mind if I..." She bit her bottom lip, "If I spend time with you lots of time with you?"

I shook my head.

"Even if we have m-misunderstandings?"

I smiled, shaking my head.

She cowered, hiccupping, "You... really want to be with me? protect me?" A smile grew on my face as I nodded fiercely.

"More than anything. There's no way I'll ever regret this." I whispered only for her to hear. This was the feeling I started out with when Rin got hurt for the first time, and now, it's the only thing left to guide me. I'll do whatever it takes. "Seeing you happy makes me happier than anything else." Her eyes widened at what I just said, and she tore up right on the spot. I grinned nervously, "Come here, you." I grabbed her hand, holding it tightly in mine.

It was time to head back, so Rin and I started for the nearest infirmary within the concert hall. Gachapoid was about to follow the NND back to their private base, but Rin immediately prevented him from doing so, practically scolding him for attempting to leave her again. The reluctant android caved and here we were, standing outside the dressing room so Rin could... ahem, properly change.

"I will break your teeth if you don't live up to that promise." Was the first thing he said to me once Rin closed the door. I did a double take as I looked him over, my jaw unhinging as I slowly turned to face him.

"You actually have faith in me." I slowly said, stifling my smirk.

Gachapoid huffed, "Your impertinence unnerves me to no end, but..." he glared at the wall, clenching his teeth, "I won't say thank you."

I blinked.

"What do you mean?" I asked, really confused.

Gachapoid reddened before turning his back on me, "You're just a nosy human! I could've gotten out on my own without seeing you. I-In fact, you're the one who should be thanking me for getting you out of the pit! Just because you've proven your sincerity to miss Rin d-doesn't mean I have to trust you! You're just as loose-tong- no, you're even more loose-tongued than her!" He shouted, clenching his fists, "B-But now miss Rin really does expect you to make her happy so if you don't live up to her expectations then I'll...! I'll-!" He stomped his foot on me angrily, snapping his teeth at me like an alligator, "Ultimately, I expect you'll miraculously find a way to become strong enough for her." he glowered, "I can give you a worse fate than dying by Leon's hands."

By the way he was pointing his knife-like claws at me, I probably should've been scared.

Instead, I started laughing.

Out of relief.

This weird android... he actually can be a kid sometimes. Leaning over, I ruffled his hair, surprising him into silence. He appeared to be in a trance as I gently mussed up his hair, grinning at his expression.

"I got it, Gacha."

"..." Gachapoid blinked multiple times before scowling. His sharp canines immediately closed around my hand, and I froze. I didn't feel anything until realizing the blood all over my fingers. His bite was as cold as the grave, and I finally let out a yelp.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" I wrenched my hand away from him, horrified at the throbbing pain. The wound itself wasn't so bad, but still! Gasping, I pointed a shaking, bloody finger at him, "You! You bit me!"

Gachapoid wiped his mouth, eyebrows pinched in disgust, "I warned you before. Restrain yourself from touching me; I am not from a petting zoo."

I frowned. "Then why'd you let Rin hug you?"

"Because she is my mistress, and she loves me more than you." Was his flat reply. I tensed. The 'mistress' part I get, but the last part...

"Says who?" I muttered under my breath, causing him to arch a brow.

"Did you say something?"

I shot him a fake smile, waving my hand, "Nothing at all. Just thanking you for adding to my list of injuries."

Gachapoid rolled his eyes before pushing himself off the wall, "In any case, I'll investigate Dell's recent activities. He's yet to fully comprehend Rin, along with Leon's plans." he stared at me, "I hear your school is performing a play here soon and that you're residing in living quarters somewhere in this area." It was a statement, not a question, but I still nodded. "And... are those Hatsunes here as well?"

I crinkled my forehead, "Yeah. Miku and her brother are. Why?"

Gachapoid shook his head, "They're complicated cases," his eyes suddenly narrowed, "Especially that two-faced Mikuo..."

I blinked, "What about Hatsune?"

"You and miss Rin should stay away from him." Gachapoid immediately answered, and his voice seemed to be somewhat off. He bristled as though the name were a curse. "I mean it, Kagamine. That boy isn't someone you want to cross paths with; he's dangerous." He twisted the tie around the neck apprehensively, and he gritted his teeth, "His father was once a Crypton scientist until Leon took notice of the Hatsune daughter; she's exceptionally bright and athletic, even nearing genius level." he paused, "Originally, she was to be the VOCALOID."

I gaped, "Miku was?"

Gachapoid nodded very seriously, "Seven years ago. Crypton attempted to assassinate her in a staged car accident, but it was Mikuo who died instead. They then took his body and reconstructed it with bionic implants where he ended up serving Takashi Rin." he started pacing the floor, nodding, "Yes... this is what my sources told me. According to them, Mikuo and Takashi Rin were very good friends."

"Friends..." I repeated, feeling a wave of nostalgia washing over me, and my eyes widened.

Seven... years ago?

Visions of my blond childhood friend and robots flashed before my eyes, causing me to blink.

I suddenly gasped, turning to Gachapoid, "Wait! So what Miku said and what you jus-!" My voice trailed as my arms went limp. Everything pieced together, and my eyes widened even further in realization. What Kaiko-nee said before... about another VOCALOID before Rin...

Does that mean...?

"Mikuo is the VOCALOID prototype?" I blurted aloud, the color draining from my face.

That would explain _everything._

Gachaoid nodded, "Correct, but he's different than what I remember. He isn't who he used to be seven years ago." Rin's humming did little to distract us, but she reminded us that she was still just right behind the door. "As of the present, he's been working behind enemy lines, and yet...," he turned away, appearing frustrated, "His actions are often contradictory... unpredictable even. Dell, Leon, nor I... none of us know his true motives." he told me solemnly, "Regardless, he's still part of Crypton, and that cannot be overlooked."

I tried not to look nervous, "I really wish Dell would've told me these things earlier."

"But he had good reasons not to." he answered.

Good point. I chuckled tersely.

"Miku would, uh, really like to know these things."

Gachapoid immediately grimaced and folded his arms, "That girl has nothing to do with Crypton any longer, as she is no longer a necessity. However, if she keeps sticking her nose in my mistress's affairs, then she most certainly will be in danger."

Well, knowing her (the irony!) she'd probably try to stop Mikuo or Leon's plans, along with pulling the police into the affairs and endangering people even more. Not that she wouldn't have good reasons to get involved, but...

"You should know...," Gachapoid drawled before gesturing to himself, "Mikuo is mainly responsible for what happened to me." He then arched a brow at me, "It'd be a shame if something similar happened to you. Even Lily fears him."

Whoa, whoa.

Even Lily?

"I understand." I relented, embittered that I was getting used to keeping secrets like these.

"Then it's best that you keep mistress Rin happy. If she learns that we're suspecting Mikuo under heinous activity, then she will be stressed out." Gachapoid told me, penetrating my thoughts with his icy stare, "In other words, you and your friends stay away from the Hatsunes and continue your daily routines, but go the extra mile to please miss Rin." He stood right before her door, ready to turn the knob, "Do you understand the importance of the situation?"

"Of course." I swallowed, rubbing my eyes to stay focused.

Gachapoid smiled faintly, "Rest assured, Kagamine. This time, things will be much smoother." Finally, he opened the door, revealing Rin having fallen asleep on the vanity desk.

Yeah... I hope that's true.

In an instant, Rin woke up and sprang out of her velvet chair, smiling at the sight of us. She was so happy, in fact, that she picked Gacha up and swung him around like a ladle, giggling as he protested. I smiled a bit, watching the sight. She paused to look at me, her smile growing a bit as she hastily bent forward and pecked my lips quickly but softly, drawing back with a tender smile.

Stunned, I blushed.

Rin only continued swinging Gachapoid across the room, laughing again.

"ACK...! M-Mistress, put me down!"

My ideal self I dreamt of being since I was small is still far from me, but if Rin's with me, I feel like I can become stronger. I want to protect Rin and her happiness because she's my reason to never give up.

* * *

**General POV**

Sukone Tei ran down through the alleys of Tokyo, nearing sharp corners as she panted. She hurried, hastily looking over her shoulder as she broke into a sweat. She sounded like she was crying for breath as she stumbled down a flight of stairs. Her camera bag kept swinging behind her along. She cradled albums to her chest as if her life depended on them.

"RAGH!" Jaws snapped from above her, causing her to shriek and sprint even harder. Two monstrous robots with black armor were on her heels, leaping from wall to wall as they grabbed for her.

Tei broke into a sobbing fit as she cut corners through an old churchyard, jumping the iron gate.

Fog grew thick around her as she slowed down, panting. She'd never been the most athletic, but considering she'd been runningthey grabbed for her.

Tei broke into a sobbing fit as she cut corners through an old churchyard, jumping the iron gate.

Fog grew thick around her as she slowed down, panting. She'd never been the most athletic, but considering she'd been running. Something slammed into her with a horrendous shriek, causing her to be knocked over and spill her things. Photos of a blonde-haired boy scattered everywhere, and she laid across a tombstone, crying out. Hair hung over her face like a shrouded curtain as she shakily reached for a photo, only to have a shoe step onto her fingers, causing her to scream at the realization of who it was

"Sukone-san, I found you." A low chuckle escaped from the younger Hatsune as he smiled down mirthfully. A certain smugness radiated about him as he grinded his heel against the palm of her hand, causing another pained cry to escape from the girl.

"N-No... I already told you! I don't know anything!" she begged, trying to shake loose, "Please. Please let me go. I-I was just worried about L-Len-kun... I-I didn't want to see him get hurt b-because of Rin!" Mikuo looked her over slowly before his face broke into a smile, one that sent chills down Tei's spine. The snapping robots stayed in line, growling at his feet. Her red eyes widened in terror as she gulped, whimpering as she scooted back. The robots whirred at this, hissing at her feet as she found her back trapped against the tombstone.

In an instant, Mikuo ripped the bag away from her grasp, spilling tons of photos and recording tapes with interactions having to do with Kagamine and his friends, including Rin. Specifically, there were prized photos of her in her stark cybernetic mode that the media would pay good money for.

"Liars go to Hell...," he drawled, angling his neck with another low chuckle, and his eyes flared, "You know?"

Tei shrank in horror, her knees giving way as she kept shaking her head.

"N-no! T-Those aren't mine! I'M NOT LYING!" She shrieked, balling her fists and hitting the ground. Tears poured down her face as she trembled in terror, begging for her innocence. "PLEASE BELIEVE ME!" Mikuo lowered his gaze, a haze falling on his eyes as he approached, causing her to shriek even louder. The fog enclosed them as he pulled a syringe hiding within the folds of his sleeve.

"Someday visions of love, the ones you wanted to shine, will burn through everyone's eyes." He soothingly told her, crouching right above her form with a sordid smile, "You must be very... desperate... to have Kagamine Len in your arms." The wind howled all around them, and Tei swallowed, her pupils alit with terror as she whimpered like trapped prey. She shakily eyed the syringe in he held, its container bubbling with an alien, glowing substance that made her skin cold by just glancing at it.

But still...

Images of her true love flashed before her eyes, from the moment he helped her up (when they first met) to their recent, awkward encounters. Desiring him from the shadows was not enough. Worshipping every souvenir she'd obtained through dropped pencils, pieces of hair, and even gum wrappers she'd organized into a shrine in her own room... nothing... none of it was enough if she couldn't even touch him.

"Won't you reconsider my offer, Sukone-san?" Mikuo coaxed, tilting his head charmingly like a silver-tongued trader, and his eyes barely masked triumph as she eyed the syringe. "I'm only offering a small sample..., and you need power, too. This element will grant your wish, I promise you."

"Really...?"

Hatsune's smile broadened at her interest, "Of course."

Tei shuddered, eying the syringe that seemed to beckon her. A battle broke out between her mind; one part of her screamed at her not to take it, not to trust this devilish boy, but another part of her whispered to take this opportunity, filling her head with numerous fantasies she'd dreamt of fulfilling ever since she met the blonde-haired heartthrob. Unlike the other girls, she truly loved him for him. His kindness, his flaws, all of them... she was the only one who knew everything about him.

The only problem was that her crush didn't appear to notice her love for him. Her longing for him hurt so badly, and she just wanted to know what it felt like to be looked at with love. For once.

It hurts... it hurts.

If she makes this bargain, then the pain will stop, right?

This terrible heartache she suffered every time she saw him would just disappear, right?

Right?

"W... Will you promise me that I'll find my heaven in this hellish world?" The lovesick girl asked, her crimson eyes welling up with tears as she dug her fingers into the dirt, sniveling, "If I really try this time, w-will Len-kun... fall in love with me?" Snow fell into her watery lashes as she pleadingly looked up at her devil turned savior, reaching out for him. "I don't want... anything else."

"Really? What a good girl you are." Mikuo sympathetically cooed, allowing her to clutch onto his leg, "If all you wish for is to possess the one you love, break his body so he can never use it again. Make him so helpless that he won't be able to do anything without you. Do that, and this time, he really be yours and yours alone. Both his body and heart will belong to you," he calmly enunciated, twirling the needle between his fingers, "No one else's."

Tei's eyes grew wide with disbelief and hope, as if what she was hearing was too evil to be true.

Or... too god.

"C... Can I really do that? Me?" In response, Mikuo jammed the syringe into her wrist, causing her to shriek, not out of pain but alarm. He injected its contents, causing the girl to whimper as threads of the element snaked up her arm, splashing into her bloodstream. She gasped, watching as the element consumed her body whole. Pain erupted throughout her body, and a long, painful scream pierced the air.

Tei staggered over, trembling all over as her body went immensely cold. She coughed multiple times, her eyes burning and senses reeling.

She couldn't b-breathe...

Then all at once, a relief washed over her, and an immense pleasure overrode her mind, coaxing her nerves into blissful relaxation as she shuddered, rolling her neck and groaning. Suddenly, adrenaline pumped into her system, and she found herself smiling. She shakily stood, bursting into a fit of insane giggles as she whipped out a gleaming butcher knife, cackling as she saw red.

"I'M ALIVE! LEN-KUN!" A crow flew past, and her senses immediately honed and reeled as she suddenly threw the knife in its direction. With a shriek, the bird went down with its wing completely amputated. Tei was already where it dropped as she, giggling, withdrew her knife and gazed happily at the sight of her newly stained blade.

A mist surrounded the graveyard as she covered her mouth in pure excitement, practically squirming in her shoes as she jumped up and down.

Never... never in her life had she been able to actually have power over someone, even this frail, ugly bird. It only marked the beginning of what she could truly be capable of. No one would have to use her as a footstool! NO ONE!

Her thoughts were reduced to this desire, this want...

All she could see was Len's lips.

Every night she'd cried over him, and once more, the want of him consumed the fantasies in her head.

To Tei, falling in love was no different than falling into Hell...

And she loved it.

Mikuo's demeanor changed into indifference as Tei adoringly glanced back at him, angling her neck in such a way that would put other contortionists to shame. Long silver hair covered her face, barely hiding her unsettling, thirsty, wine-colored gaze and demented grin. Fire and lust consumed her mind, giving way to the side she's suppressed for so long. She moved in a way that twisted her entire body as if she were a rag doll, crunching her neck bones.

"Eheheheheheh...EHEHEHEHEHEH! S-SO HATSUNE-KUN..." her voice trembled with uncontained excitement as she pointed her knife at him, her eyes and grin widening at the sight of him in her newfound state. She licked her lips, trying to contain her laughter, "T-Tell me... if I let you use me like a toy... to ultimately end Crypton... then..." She gasped, her lips cracking into another insane smile, "you will reward me with Len's heart?"

Mikuo looked at her for several moments before looking up into the glowing moon (the only witness to this event). The wind grew cold, and everything around them whispered death. Here they were, in the ruins of a peaceful cemetery and creating a contract of death. A smile grew on Mikuo's face as he calmly fixated his eyes on his new pawn.

Yes.

Sukone Tei is reborn.

* * *

**A/N: **D*mn jesus, this took me ages to complete. I'm just glad I put out my imagination to share with you all. I love you all. So much. I know this story is three years old, but even so, P:V is a part of me that I will never give up on. It's the reason why the floodgates of my imagination is open to you. I wanted to discover beauty and organization even though I am not good at those things in real life. Even so, the story and its romantic characters... every single one of them is yours.

:D Buuuut, enough with the mushy al;kdjfa;ldjf you guys just make me cry. Thanks so much for your support and know that this story isn't over yet! The Story of Evil play is still being performed by our main characters, along with solving the disputes between friends and foes alike.

Who is this SeeU Miku contacted? Will Len be able to live up to his promise? Can Gachapoid put Dell and the NND back on track and foil Mikuo's insidious plans? Will Kaito and Meiko ever become a couple? Will Leon be stopped before February?

Most of all, isn't Teto going to man up like a macho chick and confess her undying love for Ted alre-

Oh wait, that's for the next chapter, ain't it? XD

Tune in! But! Here's a sneak peek.

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**Kaito's POV**

_**"D**o you have someone special to you? Anyone?" Ms. Haku asked with a smile, stroking her paint brush in wider patterns. The canvas was now blue._

_"Someone special?" I repeated, not really processing the situation._

_Her smile grew, and she looked at me with gentle, doe-like eyes, "...Yes, Kaito-kun. Is there someone really important in your life right now?" I blinked, scrunching my face in thought._

_Someone special... someone really important...?_

_"I have lots of people important to me." I answered with a heavy sigh, flipping my script to the nearest couch as another waiter came by with wine glasses, which Ms. Haku happily accepted. "But I guess Meiko's the one who matters right now."_

_Ms. Haku stopped reading, her smirk easing into a tiny smile. Still, I could see her eyes dancing in amusement. "Oh. Are you two a couple?" __I stared at her, my face burning up in embarrassment as I remembered the awkward time when she confessed her feelings to me._

_Sighing heavily, I rubbed the back of my head, "Not exactly." I exhaled and brought my fists to my mouth, closing my eyes, "But I really hurt her." Those times she gave me the cold shoulder, and before that, the look on her face when I rejected her._

_Damn it._

_I gritted my teeth._

_"She loves me, goddammit. God knows why, but she told me she loves me, and I-I-!" I slammed my fists on the table, not bothering to consider the other patrons around us, "I just blew her off like that! What's worse is that I know she still loves me, but I have no idea why-" I glared down at my hands, clenching them, "she'd even consider a guy like me."_

_I looked up, frustrated as I matted my hair. Ms. Haku simply watched me vent out my anger on the drink she paid for me, downing it in one single gulp. Great. I knew this was a bad idea, consulting her and all. This isn't even her problem, and I went around and bothered her like this._

_Way to go, Kaito. You messed up. __I bitterly averted my eyes, clenching my teeth. _

_That's all I'm good at, messing everything up._

_"It's easy to hurt the ones who're close to us." My teacher sighed, sipping her wine. She crossed her legs and looked at me empathetically, reaching out to touch my hand and squeezing it. "The problem with love is that it doesn't care how hard we fall for another."_

_The door suddenly burst open, revealing my red-faced, huffing father. His face paled and his eyes widened when he caught sight of Ms. Haku. Professor Purple came bustling behind him, appearing frantic._

_I rose a brow. What was Dad doing here?_

_"Oh... so nice you could join us. You're Kaito's father, aren't you?" Ms. Haku smiled at my old man while glancing over her shoulder. __Dad stared at her in pure disbelief and shock, then his eyes narrowed._

_"Haku..."_

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**MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! :D I will be 17 this year.**

**Es lebe der Geschichte! **


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